Adamantium Rage
by Morden Night
Summary: The neko-ken goes terribly wrong. The doctors discover Ranma's healing factor and he is given to the rebuilt Weapon-X.
1. Weapon of Destruction

Adamantium Rage

Adamantium Rage

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, Wolverine, and Street Fighter do not belong to me.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

" ": Japanese or English. I'll notify which one.

Chapter 1

Weapon of Destruction 

Genma stared at his quivering son he was not one once of a man if he couldn't learn the neko-ken! And now he was afraid of the cats! Pathetic If he didn't shape the boy up to be a manly man his life was as good as over, and being manly meant learning the Neko-ken and becoming the greatest martial artist in the world.

The overweight martial artist's thoughts turned dark at what he had promised his wife he'd do if Ranma wasn't a manly man. Right now lying in a fetal position cowering from a bunch of tiny cats was not manly. 

Genma closed the lid that led to the underground cave filled with starving cats. He wasn't getting anywhere with these tiny kittens he needed bigger cats. He picked the boy up and stood him on his feet. Ranma cringed and covered his head. "Don't throw me in there again Dad! Please I don't wanna learn the Neko ken!" Genma looked at Ranma calmly and with sympathy. 

"Ranma. I'm not going to throw you in there again."

Ranma looked up at Genma through the tears in his eyes. With hopeful and pleading eyes he said. "Promise?"

"Promise." Genma replied. And it wasn't a lie. He had a whole new idea brewing in his deranged mind on how Ranma could learn the Neko-ken.

"I have another training activity for you to do tonight Ranma." Genma said. "And wipe those tears away men don't cry!"

Ranma wiped away his tears that had been welling up in his eyes. "Really? What is it?"

************``

(Later that night.)

Genma and Ranma snuck into a zoo late that night climbing over the large concrete wall that surrounded the complex they entered. They both wore white gis that stood out in the darkness but they were so quiet that it didn't matter the security in this particular zoo was not very up to date.

"Hurry up Ranma!" Genma whispered to his son who was trailing behind his short legs not able to keep up with his fathers. He seemed to not have a single injury from the day's earlier events. All the cat scratches were completely gone.

"Slow down I can't go that fast." Ranma whined trying to keep just as quiet as Genma. 

"Don't whine like a little girl Ranma! Men don't whine!" 

The two martial artists crept through the zoo and they came upon a cage with two large Panthers. The panthers eyed the two people with primal hunger in their eyes. Their fur was sleek, and pitch black, blending them into the shadows almost perfectly. Their yellow eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness of the cage. 

Ranma hid behind his father still fearful of anything feline. Genma frowned but it soon disapeared and turned into a smile as he pulled out a raw steak from his gi somewhere still dripping with blood. {Don't ask me how he hid it in there without getting blood stains all over his gi it's anime physics.}

*Soon the power of the neko-ken will be ours.*

Ranma looked at the steak with caution. "W-whats that for?" he asked his voice trembling at the thoughts that came to his young mind on what it could be used for. 

Genma gave the steak to Ranma who was trembling all over his tiny body. "Don't worry boy this is just another part of your training. What's the worst that could happen?"

Genma grabbed his son and jumped to the top of the large fence surrounding the Panthers. Ranma panicked. "Dad no! What are you doing? I don't like cats!" Genma ignored his child and stuffed the steak into the young boys gi.

"Now, now Ranma! This is for your own good and the good of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts!" Genma then dropped his son into the Panthers domain.

Ranma screamed as he fell into the artificial environment. He landed on his although roughly and looked around him. He saw the eyes of the two giant felines circling him, sizing him up, looking for the perfect moment to strike. Ranma's head whipped left and right trying to see where exactly the panthers where, But they blended into the shadows all around that he couldn't.

Genma called down to his son telling him to hurry up and learn the neko-ken but Ranma was to terrified to hear. One of the Panthers sprang from the shadows knocking Ranma to the ground and biting deep into his shoulder. Ranma screamed hoping that his father would save him, hoping that he would pull him from the pit, but he never moved he just sat there staring at him just as the Panthers had been doing.

The giant cats were tearing at his flesh. Biting and clawing large chunks of flesh off of his tiny body. Ranma screamed again and he could taste the blood in his mouth he wanted to spit out the coppery taste, but he was to busy screaming. He couldn't feel his legs and only one of his arms seemed to work. He tried to crawl away with his one good arm but the cat's kept pulling him back in. Ripping the flesh off of him in a feral frenzy of teeth and sharp claws with fresh blood on them.

Ranma's mind could no longer take the pain and he passed out.

***************``

Genma was happy Ranma was finally going to learn the dreaded cat fist technique. With it in the Saotome school of Martial Art's repertoire they would be unbeatable. Genma frowned as he seemed to just be standing there looking around. Genma called down. "Ranma! Hurry up and learn the cat fist! I don't have all day. 

One of the panthers pounced on Ranma. Genma called down again. "That-a-Boy!" and soon after the other panther joined the fray they both began biting the boy none stop tearing flesh away. Genma winced but shrugged it off. *He'll heal soon enough.* he sat at the top of the fence waiting for his son to learn the technique.

Ranma looked up at him with pleading terrified eyes. Genma ignored it and continued observing the event. 

Genma paled as one of Ranma's legs flew out of the conflict onto the grass, _completely_ disconnected from the young boys body. The fat martial artist's face grew even whiter as another limb, this time an arm, flew out of the fray. A __g soon followed and the boy tried to crawl away. The Panther pulled him back violently leaving a large stain of blood across the grass where he had been dragged.

Genma acted upon this sudden turn of events. {As if we all didn't know what was going to happen} The fat martial artist jumped into the tangle of black furred bodies. Kicking one aside and throwing the other one in the same direction as it tried to attack him. The master of the anything goes martial arts picked up the small body that was breathing profusely from the missing limbs and from all of the large cuts all over his body.

The pigtailed boy just hung there limply from Genma's arms, Seemingly dead. The bald man with the blue bandanna on his head felt the boys neck for a pulse miraculously there was one although it was faint and almost non existent.

The panthers struck again but Genma had expected such a double team from the animals. And he kicked one hard in the neck snapping it's neck after he had crushed it's throat. He spin kicked the other into the large locked gate hard enough to put a dent in the steel bars.

After the immediate threat was taken care of Genma jumped over the fence landing lightly on his feet and taking off instantly in a full run. Blood stained his whole gi and poured from Ranma's wounds seemingly never ending.

"Don't worry Ranma I'll get you to a doctor as quick as I can.

*********************```

Genma Saotome leapt across the rooftops at a speed and grace that his figure suggested was not possible. He jumped, landed, ran across the roof, jumped off, and landed again on another roof, repeating this cycle over and over heading across town to the nearest hospital. The hospital came into sight and he ran faster not caring about anything but Ranma's well being for once.

Genma pushed himself off the roof and landed in front of the hospitals front doors, scaring all of those present, and ran through the doors towards the front desk. All the people in the waiting area off to the side was startled by Genma's hasty entrance. A pretty Japanese receptionist sat at a large desk going over some notes. 

"HELP!! I NEED HELP!" Genma yelled out to the girl who got up and met him halfway to the desk she was previously sitting at.

"Geezus what the _hell_ happened to this boy?!" She asked in a panicked voice. Genma shook his head.

"That's not important! SAVE Him!!" Genma was panicked more so than he had ever been before in his life. Before Genma even finished his sentence she ran behind the desk and picked up an announcement Mic. 

"All available personnel to front desk immediately! I Repeat _All_ available personnel come to the front desk immediately!" She nearly yelled into it. Her voice was amplified by the speakers in all hallways echoing throughout the hospital, getting every person in the buildings attention. Those that worked there ran to the front desk as fast as possible. 

Ranma's prone body now lay on a stretcher and he was being carted away from Genma who tried to follow but wasn't allowed. He only hoped now that they could save his only sons life. 

**************

The stretcher Ranma was lying on was surrounded by doctors, who where wheeling Ranma away to the operating room. Ranma was still bleeding a lot and though the doctors around him were trying very hard they couldn't get it to stop. Ranma was also now hooked up to several machines that were also being wheeled along with him. "What's his status?!" One female doctor called out to the others.

One of the male doctors answered her question quickly. "Deep wounds, massive internal and external bleeding, broken bones, missing limbs... you name it this kids got it." They finally got to the operating room where there were two doctors already waiting. 

"What do we have here?" One of the waiting Doctors asked. asked hoping to get a good diagnostic so that he could quickly map out what he would need to do. 

One of the nurses answered for him. "Nothing but injuries sir. It looks like some sort of major animal attack!" The Doctors knew what to do immediately and they went to work.

**************

(Several hours later)

Genma paced along the blue tiled floor of the waiting room. Blood having dried somewhat on his white clothing leaving an almost pure red gi. He had alternated between biting his nails to pacing to taping his fingers on the reception desk. Now he was back to pacing and didn't look like he was going to stop any time soon.

A nurse, one that had been with Ranma when he was being wheeled down to the operating room, came through the double doors leading to the waiting room. No sooner had she appeared Genma had pounced on her, grabbing her by the front of the shirt and pulling her nearly nose to nose with himself. 

"Is my son okay?!" The bald martail artist asked her with panic showing through like a lighthouse on a pitch black night. He was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. 

The nurse although startled by the mans sudden movement, stayed calm and took his hands off of her shirt slowly lowering them to his sides. "Your son's condition is fluctuating and we cant be sure whether he'll be okay by the morning or not. So you can leave and come back in the morning or you can sleep here in the waiting room, but we won't have any information for you until then." She said in a soothing tone of voice. "So if you'll just sit down then, our doctors are doing their best to make sure he's okay."

Genma nodded weakly and allowed the nurse to lead him back to where he had been sitting early. Genma decided to sleep at the hospital since his camping gear was half way across town. He took a hospital pillow from the side of the room and after a few hours of waiting fell asleep.

**************

(Earlier in the operating room.)

"We've gotten the bleeding to stop!"

"Blood Pressure's stabilizing!"

"Doctor Evans come quick!"

Doctor Evans turned away from the heart monitor which was giving off a stream of steady bleeps symbolizing the patient's condition as being stable. 

"What is it nurse.?" He asked the girl currently leaning over Ranma's prone form examining his leg. The Doctor looked at what she was but he hadn't a clue at what she was talking about.

"I don't see anything nurse what are you talking about?" 

"SHHHHHH!" She shushed the Doctor and pointed at the leg while holding up a magnifying glass for the doctor. Dr. Evans looked at the girl strangely but obliged anyway taking the microscope and looking at the place where the leg had been severed. He gasped loudly at what he saw and took a step back staring at the young boy on the table in awe. 

"W-What the HELL?!! the girl nodded to the doctor. 

"He is healing at a visible rate he should be finished healing all wounds in about two weeks." Said the nurse. With a calculative tone.

Dr. Evans look the wrapping completely off of one of Ranma's legs and examined the bone. He stood back in even more shock but this time wonder as well clearly written across his face. "_Remarkable_!" He cried giving the nurse the magnifying glass so she could se for herself. "Look at the bone." He said as she did so he continued speaking. "His bones are healing twice as fast as his flesh is so that the flesh can grow over the bone!" 

The nurse slowly stood up. "This is unbelievable!" she said. She turned towards the doctor. "What should we do?" The Doctor rubbed his chin in thought. Then he snapped his fingers as a realization came to him. 

"Weapon X!" He said.

The nurse just looked at Dr. Evans in confusion. "Weapon X? What the heck is that." She asked.

Dr. Evans picked up a cell phone. "Weapon X is a secret government agency that specializes in these kinds of things their main base of operations was recently rebuilt and they had contacted me earlier in the year. They are looking for humans with special regenerative capabilities. This boy here is just what they've been looking for! They pay heavily and we would be stupid to turn this offer down."

The nurse looked at the boy in question who was still unconscious. "But what about the boys father? What can we tell him? That we sent his son away for government testing?" The doctor shook his head. 

"Of course not! The man doesn't even know if the boy's going to survive the night." Dr. Evans replied.

Nurse nodded her understanding of what Dr. Evans was suggesting. "Okay. But I hate to ruin the mans life. He cared for the kid an awful lot." The doctor shooed her away. 

"Take the rest of the day off miss Matsuki I'll take care of everything else." Naori Matsuki nodded and left the operating room. Dr. Evans dialed in a long set of numbers and spoke into the cell phone after waiting a few seconds for someone to pick up. "Yes Mr. Roberts? Hello it's Toshio Evans. I believe I found the regenerative subject you've been looking for."

***************

(The next day)

Genma awoke with an ache in his back. And a crick in the neck. He rubbed the back of his neck in pain with his right hand while pushing himself into a sitting position with the other. "Oooh where am I?" Genma's eyes shot open remembering what had happened to Ranma the other night, and sensing that there was another presence nearby.

Genma looked up to see a Doctor standing above him with a clip board. "Good morning Mr. Saotome." The doctor said. Genma stood at his feet and looked the doctor in the eyes with an almost pleading look.

"Is my son alright?!" Genma asked panic showing in every part of his body. Dr. Evans backed up a step and gave the fat man a professional look. 

"Yes, well. Mr. Saotome your son passed away. He wasn't even able to make it through the night. I'm sure your upset and..." Dr. Evans never got to finish as Genma dropped to his knees grabbed onto the doctors legs and cried. Long streams of tears were flowing out of his eyes ad it didn't look like he was ever going to stop.

Genma's whole life shattered. He had no hope. He was as good as dead. His wife would surely make him commit sepuku. He had no heir, and with that the Tendo and Saotome schools of anything goes martial arts would fall. The schools would now never be joined. Unless...

Genma shot to his feet with the realization. Why hadn't he thought of it before. It was ingenious. *I'll tell No-chan that it was a training accident. I wouldn't be lying and Maybe just maybe the schools would be joined.* Dr. Evans looked at the man before him with a little bit of worry. The man seemed to be able to turn his tears on and off like a light switch. And the amounts of tears that the man produced was beyond normal.

Dr. Evns held the clip board out in front of him and cleared his throat to get Genma's attention. It worked and the master of the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu looked up questioningly to the doctor who continued once he had the fuul attention of the bald man.

"However Mr. Saotome there is a matter of your police record." Genma paled. Evans continued."We did a scan of your police profile and you are wanted in several districts for theft assault and now child abuse as well." Genma's face was now white. Evans continued. "The police have been called to pick you up as soon as I've finished with you." 

Genma looked for a way out. Anyway out. Genma spotted a window and he heard muffled sirens in the distance. Genma ran for the window and jumped out it just as the police cars pulled up and the officers rushed through the door of the hospital. Dr Evans pointed to where Genma had left the building. "HE WENT THAT WAY!" He yelled. The officers gave chase but as the came to the window the man known as Genma Saotome was nowhere to be seen.

************

Genma ran across the rooftops, not going in any direction in particular. He was a little bit depressed. Not only was his heir and only son dead, but he was now on the run from the law as well. He cleared large gaps between buildings, soaring across the city like some sort of demon grasshopper. *How could this happen?* He thought. *All I wanted was to teach him the art and make him into the most powerful martial artist the world has ever known. How hard could that have been?*

As the bald martial artist leapt across the roofs his depression got more, and more deep. He headed for the nearest bar he could find hoping to drown his sorrows in Sake and other such alcoholic beverages. Unknown to the man he had wandered into the district of Juuban.

The martial artist in the red gi that had once been pure white dropped down to the street below and headed into a bar that he was very familiar with, having drunk there several times with his friends over the years. *Aaah Hito's bar. This brings back very fond memories.* He thought as he entered the building. 

*****

He did not notice the pair of eyes that watched him from the other side of the street watching him enter the bar. "Well, well!" The pretty middle aged female with blonde hair said as she pulled out a cell phone from her purse and dialed a number. She waited for a second for the other end to pick up then continued. "Moshi Moshi? Nodoka? You'll never guess who I just saw." 

*****

Genma entered the bar with a half smile on his face. Almost nothing had changed here. It was just as he remembered. Over in the corner was his table, the one that he and Soun had drunk at talking of the future all the time. Genma sighed. He felt a lot happier now that he was in familiar territory. 

"Hey if it isn't Genma Saotome!" called a voice from the bar. Genma looked to where his name had been called. There stood another memory in the flesh. Hito, the bartender, was a short stumpy man shorter than Genma was. The man had a large well trimmed beard that looked odd with his bald head. Genma waved to the man and headed towards the stool that he had sat at every time that he came here to drown his woes.

"Good afternoon Hito. Long time no see." Hito frowned as The bald martial artist sat down at the stool.

"Hey Genma I see you for the first time in so many years and the first thing you do is sit on my bar stool? You must be pretty depressed. It usually takes a lot to upset you." He said with concern as he dried out a drinking glass with a towel. "Why you here so early in the morning anyway?" He asked.

Genma looked at his old friend with a smile that was obviously forced. "Gimme a bottle of Sake Hito. No! Make it two. I need it."

Hito complied with the mans wishes and set the two bottles on the bar in front him. Genma opened one bottle and took a large swig then sighed heavily. "Sure you don't want to talk about it?" Hito asked his old friend in his rough but kind voice. Genma shook his head and took another long swig from the warm liquid. 

Hito nodded his head and left Genma alone with his woes. Going off to clean out more glasses.

*********

(Back at the hospital)

A large vehicle came to a screeching halt outside of the hospital and soon after several men in black uniforms with blue and red lacing the edges and masks of black as dark as night rushed inside. They were followed by a group of what appeared to be scientists who wore white protective plastic suits and similar helmets to those of the black clad men only white.

One of the men in the protective suits approached Dr. Evans who stood outside of the front doors of the hospital. The man took off his mask and held out a hand in greeting to Evans. "Hello Evans its been a long time." The man with the hand extended hand was a Caucasian man taller than Evans but not by a lot, he had graying blond hair that was combed over in hopes to cover the bald spot that lied underneath.

"That it has." Doctor Evans answered grasping he other mans hand in a firm hand shake. "How have you been all these years Roberts?" he asked as the two men headed towards the doors of the hospital.

"I'm fine Toshio." The man answered in a friendly voice. "Now where is the boy with the healing?" He asked switching to a voice that was used by professional government type people. Evans chuckled.

"Not many things change do they?" He asked. "Your still the same Paul Roberts that I remember from College. Always skipping straight to the point." Paul smiled as the two old friends walked through the large double doors. 

"Well that is the reason why I am here. Weapon-X was just rebuilt not to long ago and we need subjects. A child is perfect. Out mistake before was taking in a full grown man the tests drove him over the edge. Even though we had mind wiped him." He said. With downcast eyes. "I lost many close friends the day Wolverine rampaged. We will not make the same mistake twice."

Toshio looked at his friend understandingly. "Yes I see. A child especially of this young age is highly influential. I wish weapon-X the best of luck." The two men nodded to each other as they came to the doors leading to the room that young Ranma was being kept. 

The men in black were loading the young man onto a stretcher. The boy was still unconscious and his limbs were still badly damaged. Although his other wounds were nearly completely healed.

The team zipped the boy up in a body bag so as to make it look like he really was dead. Orders of chief scientist of Weapon-X Paul Roberts. The team headed out the door to load the young boy into the large black van that waited out front.

Evans and Roberts followed at a distance. Evans waited at the doors of the hospital entrance while Roberts entered the van with the other scientists. The van later drove off into the distance and was soon out of site. Evans watched it go the whole way. *Don't screw things up like usual Paul. The last thing we need is another of your failed experiments.*

**************

(Hito's Bar)

Genma swayed back and forth drunk out of his mind. Hito watched his old friend pull back the bottles of Sake one after the other. The man was babbling about the two school never bing joined and being the worst Father in the world. Hito hated to see Genma this way. The man was more depressed than he had ever seen him in his entire life. The counter was scattered with empty bottles.

Hito looked over at the door as the chimes rang signaling a new customer entering through the door. He sweated as he saw who exactly came through the door. He sweated as the two women walked towards the bar in Genma's direction. Hito stepped back as the women stepped up to the overly drunk man.

************

Nodoka's friend pulled on her arms leading to the familiar bar that her husband used to frequently visit. "Come on Nodoka he's here I tell you. I saw him enter. Earlier today." Nodoka tried to stop her friend but she kept a firm grip on her wrist nearly dragging the woman towards the bar.

"Wait Mariko! What if it's not Genma? It could have been anyone you saw enter the bar!" Nodoka said hoping the girl pulling on her wrist would stop. She did and whirled around on Nodoka. 

"Come on Nodoka! How many other fat, bald martial artists jump around on the rooftops and drink alcohol during the day?" Mariko said trying to convince her best friend that she was (of course) right.

Nodoka released her hand from Mariko's grasp. But you said he was wearing _red_!" 

"So?" 

Nodoka sighed. "So! He hates that color. He's never wore red a single day in his life!"

Mariko pouted. "Aww come on Nodoka! At least check with me! You never know. Besides you haven't seen your husband for over a year or two now! So why not?!" Nodoka thought about it carefully for a second. Her resolve visibly faltered under her friends pleading. "Please?" Mariko continued giving her the cute puppy dog eyes.

Nodoka sighed. "Fine." Mariko squealed and continued to drag Mrs Saotome in the direction of the bar. Talking all the way along about how cute Ranma was and about how much the boy had probably grown. 

The two women entered Hito's Bar when the got there. The stood by the door for a few seconds quickly scanning the bar for any sign of the Saotome Patriarch. Their search was over just as quick as it had begun. Nodoka spotting the man that was no doubt the one she had married seven years ago.

"GENMA!" She yelled as she stalked over to her drunk husband with cold fury glistening in her eyes like ice. Genma, having not heard his wife's call, continued to sway in his bar stool drunkenly, rambling on about nothing in particular. That was until the woman grabbed him by the front of his blood stained gi pulling his gaze away from the drink and making sure he saw her.

Mariko stood a few meters away just watching the happenings between her best friend and her husband with amusement, twirling a lock of her long blonde hair around her index finger. 

Genma didn't even recognize his wife through the drunken haze that was obscuring his vision extremely. "W-w-Who the ell(hic)? Whad-a yah(hic) want?" He tried to turn back to his drink but Nodoka held strong, not letting go or letting up even a little. 

"_Genma_! Where is Ranma!? Why aren't you taking care of him!?" Nodoka said through clenched teeth. Her gaze proved strong enough to sober Genma up enough to be almost sensible.

"R-R-Ranma?" He said saying the word as if to help his memory. He remembered all right and he covered his face with his hands weeping quietly to himself. "H-h-h-He's (sniff) guh-guh-_gone_!"

Nodoka stopped staring at the bald man long enough to let the words seep into her mind. Behind her Mariko stopped, shocked at the words drunkenly uttered by the idiot of a husband of her best friend. Nodoka gripped Genma's shoulders and stared hopefully into his eyes hoping that he was kidding, or to drunk to speak sensibly, or something.

"W-What do you mean Genma? WHAT DO YOU MEAN _GONE_!!!" All of the bar froze at the sound of that scream. Some knew it well. Those that were here for a casual drink with friends quickly silenced themselves. Genma hung his head in shame. 

"T-T-Training (sniff) accident. Doctors couldn't help him. D-didn't even make it through the night." Genma continued to bawl and he drawled on into a string of nonsensical ramblings.

The man's wife sat down on the barstool next to him with a heavy thump. "G-gone?" Mariko came to her side and tried to comfort her friend. Putting her hands on her shoulders and saying comforting words. 

"Come on Nodoka. It'll be okay! I'm sure you can get on with your life." Nodoka grabbed one of Mariko's hand trying her best not to cry. 

The tears welled up in her eyes obscuring her vision. (sniff) "My only son." Nodoka turned around and sobbed into Mariko's shoulder who was on the verge of tears herself. Many of the silent patrons sniffled and some wiped away wet eyes. 

Mariko pulled Nodoka out of her seat and after grabbing a drunk Genma by the waist headed towards the door. Heading back to the Saotome residence.

************

The Weapon-X van that had picked up Ranma at the Hospital Drove off down a relatively deserted street heading towards the docks, not slowing down as it neared but rather speeding up instead. People who were walking back and forth across the docks dove out of the way as the van rushed past. The black vehicle began to change and the outer layer became more airodynamic alo sprouting wings out the side and the back opened up to reveal an advanced propulsion sysem that lit afire sending the air craft soaring through the air.

Many of the people at the docks stared off at the flying unit in wonder. One man who's face had gotten a little charred from the propulsion system took his hat off and stared at the rapidly receding dot in the sky. 

"Now there's somethin you don't see every day."

Currently inside the Weapon-X van Ranma was lying in a containment fridge that kept him unconscious. Dr. Paul Roberts looked over the charts that had been printed out on the computer that was hooked up to the machine. 

"Hmm. He seems to have excellent regenerative abilities not quite as developed as Logan's had been but substantial enough to keep him alive." He said as he sat down beside another of the Weapon-X scientists.

The other looked over the same charts once Roberts handed them to him. "Yes the other said flipping over a page and scanning the next part. There doesn't seem to be any history of traumatic events the boy had gone through that would make him a threat to the completion of the project." He answered in a metallic kind of voice having not taken off his protective mask, which also masked his facial features.

Roberts nodded. "Yes. Logan was unstable and the tests pushed him over the edge. Our procedures however are now much more advanced and it is virtually impossible for the things that happened with Logan to happen with our new subject." Roberts and the other Weapon-X operatives continued their flight to Canada in relative silence.

************

(A day later at weapon-X at 9:30 PM)

In a large tube filled with a clear green energy enriched fluid. Ranma's young form floated in silence. The sound of the bubbles floating up from the bottom of the tube were the only sound coming from the large machine. Ranma was also currently hooked up to lots of monitoring machines and other such stuff with computer readouts and flashing lights all over the place.

The scientists who worked for Weapon-X looked at these readouts studying them carefully. There were several scientists walking around the large room that was filled with machinery of all kinds and heavily guarded at all entrances and exits. The equipment in this place was far more advanced than was expected of any government facility. It looked like something out of a futuristic anime of some sort. It all seemed to imaginary to be real. 

The first of test had already been completed. Ranma's healing factor had also sped up and the boy was now completly healed. He hadn't any signs that he had ever been injured except for those scars that he had gained before his healing factor had developed itself.

One of the younger scientists came to Dr. Roberts with a readout on a futuristic looking hand held computer. "Dr. Roberts We've wiped the boys mind of all memories. His name and all abilities that he's learned over his life are the only thing that he remembers." He said.

Dr. Roberts smiled. "Good! Have you stored these memories onto file for later scanning?" He asked.

The young scientist nodded vigorously. "Yes sir. They are all loaded into the emergency back up files as well. I have the filenames right her." He said showing the elder scientist his hand held computer. Dr. Roberts glanced at it remembering the file name and storing it away in his own memory.

"Good." Dr. Roberts said. "Revive the boy and put him through the training we have to start early on his training to ensure that he becomes the perfect killing machine." The young doctor nodded again and signaled to the others to begin reviving the subject.

The liquid in the tube was drtained out of the tube and chemicals used to revive people ere sent through tubes that traveled into Ranma's body. 

*************

Ranma's eyes slowly opened. He was naked and he was in a strange place that was unfamiliar to him. He was in some sort of glass tube and he was connected to a whole slew of different types of hi tech machinery. Ranma tried to ask where he was but found his voice muffled by an oxygen mask. 

The young boy took the scientific appliances off of his body and let them drop to the floor with an audible clang. The young martial artist looked around the room at all the scientists that surrounded him. On of them spoke through a microphone that allowed the scientist's voice to come through a small speaker at the top of Ranma's crystal cage.

"Ranma Saotome?" The voice asked. Ranma looked at the man who was talking to him through the mic. 

"Yeah?" Ranma said wary of any thing that may seem odd. Though waking up with no memories was odd enough Ranma still listened carefully to what the man said. 

"You are Ranma Saotome. You are a mutant. You were hit on the head and your neural brain waves were damaged with the impact. You gained amnesia from the event and we are currently trying to bring your memories back for you." Dr. Roberts said.

Ranma looked confused he couldn't remember anything at all cept his name and some martial arts. The young boy tried to conjure up an image of some sort of memory but the only thing he could see was a pair of yellow eyes. This however terrified him and he shivered. He didn't know what the eyes were attached to but it scared him even more than waking up here had.

"Ranma?" The doctor asked trying to get the boys attention. Ranma's head perked up at the sound of the mans voice. Ranma sat down on the bottom of the tube and listened. The doctor continued. "Ranma, were going to lift the glass up and you will be allowed out. It is asked that you comply and don't give us any trouble. Will you cooperate?" He said.

Ranma nodded his head. Being only a kid and not having much of a memory at all he could not do much more than go along for the ride. Dr. Roberts nodded to his technicians and after a few seconds of taping away at keyboard the glass tube began to rise with a mechanical whir. Ranma slowly climbed down cautious of the guards by the doors with the advanced looking weapons. 

One of the younger scientists came to Ranma with a towel and wrapped it around the boys shoulders. "Here ye go kid." He said, as he led Ranma out of the room past the guards. Ranma stared at the guards with wonder he couldn't tell for sure but he thought that maybe they could be robots of some kind. Of course that was highly unlikely.

Ranma looked up at the man leading him down the hall. He had blonde hair and he was fairly young probably in his late twenties. He worked out, but not a lot. He had friendly features and a presence that seemed to generate trust. He looked down at Ranma with a smile. 

"I'm Robbie Cottrell Ranma, but you can call me Rob. I'll be looking after your progress here at Weapon-X. Do you have any questions?" He asked the boy. Ranma looked at him in question. 

"W-What's Weapon-X." He asked the taller man. Robbie thought about that carefully about how he could answer the question with out giving to much away before answering. 

"Well Ranma. Weapon-X is a government facility that is used for training people to become great warriors. We teach them how to fight." Ranma's face lit up. 

"You mean like martial arts?" He asked with hope in his eyes. "I wanna become a great martial artist! The greatest there ever was." Rob mock punched the boy in the cheek (he didn't actually punch him) 

"That's the spirit kid!" He said. Rob then led Ranma down the hall to a room that had a bed, a sink and a small washroom. The washroom had the basics: Toilet, sink, bath, mirror, etc. Ranma walked in and Rob turned on the light. "Oookay Ranma. This is going to be your room. It's a little small, I know, but hey we survive." Ranma looked around the room.

"It's great!" said Ranma. Ranma went and sat on the bed. The first thing that came to his mind was that it was better than sleeping on the ground all the time. Although he didn't really know why he thought that.

Robbie stepped back. "Well you better get some sleep kid. Your going to be meeting your new Sensei tomorrow." Ranma nodded and Rob left the room to go to his own room and get some shut eye.

Ranma shut off the light pulled the covers over himself and fell asleep though it took a while being that he had been unconscious the last two days. But he didn't know that.

**************

(The next day around noon)

Ranma entered through the large metal door that led to the Dojo, or training room if you will. He looked around the room the floor was wooden and smooth. In the middle of the room sat a man clad in a suit that was skin tight and black with red stripes. The suit was made of kevlar, and it was made for maximum movability. "Hello Ranma." Said the man who was currently standing. Ranma walked up to the man and bowed. "Good afternoon sensei." Ranma said.

"Afternoon Ranma." Said the man in broken Japanese. He bowed as well to the little boy. 

Robbie, who had led Ranma to the dojo, stepped beside the two and introduced them. "Ranma? This is Sensei Matthews. Treat him with the highest respect. He will be teaching you combat." Ranma nodded and after Rob left the lesson continued as soon as the young scientist was out of the room.

Matthews attacked Ranma, the boy was startled and did not expect this. Sensei Matthew's fist connected with the young martial artists face sending him sprawling across the dojo's wooden floor. Ranma sat up and rubbed his face. Tears streamed down his face. And he looked up at his new sensei with a questioning gaze.

"W-Why did you hit me? Sensei?" He asked. Sensei Matthews stood in the same place as when Ranma had entered the room, seemingly not having moved at all.

"Ranma. He said in a voice that was almost cruel. It had no remorse for the blow that the man had laid upon the child. Ranma stood up though unsteadily waiting for his sensei to continue. Also preparing himself just in case he would attack him again. "You have much to learn." The man in black said. "You must learn to never let your guard down. To be prepared though you are seemingly not." He turned his back on Ranma and folded his hands behind himself. "Now Ranma. Attack me."

"No you have your back turned. That would be dishonorable." The young boy said, memories of past lessons taught coming back to him. Sensei Matthews turned on the boy and in less than a second he was upon Ranma. The boy was prepared and he ducked out of the way of the fist. Sensei smiled.

"Good." He said. "You are learning." Matthews walked back slowly to the middle of the room and Ranma launched his tiny body in the larger mans direction. Sensei Matthews backhanded the human projectile, but Ranma blocked it and rolled with it. However his sensei didn't stop and he came at the boy with another blow. Kicking the boy across the room. 

Ranma let off an 'oomph' as the air was knocked out of him. The Sensei was again standing in the middle of the room. He looked at the boy with no emotion. "Ranma, you must learn to never let your guard down!" He said a little harder than the last time. "Your opponent will not wait for you to get up, or catch you breath! When in battle you must be prepared for everything!" Ranma nodded and got up preparing for his Sensei's next attack.

***************

In a control room somewhere else in the Weapon-X facility Doctor Roberts was monitoring Ranma and his teachings. Sensei Matthews was being really rough on the kid yet the boy seemed to adapt to every situation easily. Every time the teacher would change tactics he would either get caught and get it right the second time around or he would get the lesson down the first time. 

"Remarkable!" Roberts mused as he watched the boy and the teacher go at it on and off. "This boy is even better than we could have possibly hoped he could be!" He took a sip of the coffee that he held in his hands. 

"Sir?" One of the monitoring crew asked Dr. Roberts. 

"What is it?" Roberts replied.

"Well." The man said scratching the back of his head. " Do you remember the Pathonen and Eronen devices that we installed into the training room?" He asked his superior.

Roberts nodded. "Yes the ones that can tell a fighters potential power level, and current power level right?" He confirmed. Setting his coffee down on the desk. "Why?"

The monitoring team looked to one another, then the same person as before answered the mans question. "Well sir." He said. "The boys power level is very strong for only a six year old boy. That's not our concern though. His potential is far beyond what we would have originally predicted."

Roberts cocked his head to the side questioningly. "So!"

"Well sir." The man continued. "His potential power is off the charts. He could gain a full power level of 8, 000 by the time he's twenty if he continues to train every day until that time. That is about the time it would take for him by our calculations." 

Roberts looked at the screen again seeing Ranma do a spin kick with his tiny body. "This unbelievable!" He exclaimed. "This boy is a power house and at our command!" The head monitoring technician cut the man off.

"Mr. Roberts with all due respect he is just a child and a human being as well. We don't control him. And there's no telling how our tests will affect his psych. He could turn on us if the procedures are to much." 

Doctor roberts tuned on the head monitor technician with cold fury in his eyes. "Well then well just have to make sure we wipe his mind of all experiments that we do, ensuring that he stays on our side then won't we?!" The head technician turned on the head scientist.

"But sir with all due respect he's just a boy! If we mind wipe him to frequently then he might get brain damage!" Roberts cut him off. I don't care if it gives him hepatitis B I want the kid mind wiped after each experiment! No questions asked!" The technician nodded his ascent and continued his work.

Roberts left the room. *Weapon-X will not risk everything to ensure some kids mental stability!*

***************

(After the first lesson with sensei Matthews)

Ranma limped back to his room alongside Robbie, who had come to pick him up from his martial arts training for the tests. He didn't like some of the tests that the scientists were going to do on the boy. He had been informed that the tests would begin as soon as Ranma was finished, and some of the tests that they had planned sounded awfully cruel and painful.

Ranma, walking alongside, Robbie had a broken arm and his right eye was black and swollen. He was limping from a sprained ankle. Robbie frowned at the sight. The boy had taken an awful beating. But it was their job and he was sure that most of the other employees didn't want the kid hurt.

As they entered the main hall Ranma looked up at Rob and asked. "Rob? Where are we going? Aren't I gonna go to my room?" Rob, being one of the few people on the facility that was fluent in Japanese answered. 

"Well Ranma,... The others want to do a few tests on you to see what other abilities you posses and other things." Robbie didn't want to tell the kid exactly what they were going to do. He thought it was better that way. They were going to wipe his mind of the memory anyway.

Ranma nodded and continued on with Robbie. When they entered the large lab they were greeted by Dr. VandBerg who took Robbie to the side with the other scientists to view the tests while Ranma was led off to get prepped by a group of technicians. 

Robbie and the rest of the scientists watched as Ranma was hooked up to the complex machinery. There were many different wires and tubes some were taped to the boys skin and others were inserted in various places on his body. The technicians moved out of the way and the large tube of plexiglass came down around the young boy. Once the tube was properly secured it filled to the top with the same green liquid that The young martial artist had been immersed in the day before then the tests began.

************

Ranma didn't know what to think. It was hard to think with most of his memories gone. He was determined to get them back though. He had to know who he was. Sure he was Ranma Saotome but there had to be more. 

The techs strapped Ranma to a lot more of the complex machinery than he had been attached to before. There were tubes running in and out of his body and wires were running from every little crevice on the devises. He was given an oxygen mask again and this time they put some sort of helmet over his head. It was heavy and had just as much wires as the other things had. 

The technicians left Ranma to himself and the tube descended upon him. He was sure that they wouldn't hurt him or anything. Right? It would just be a few brain waves and then its over. The green liquid came up from the floor when the tube stopped it quickly filled the small space up and was soon over Ranma's head.

The tests began.

They started off normal Ranma would sit there and he would wait while the technicians looked at the screens typing at stuff. Ranma didn't concern himself with it that kind of stuff bored him. Then pain shot up through his spine. He arched his back trying to stop the pain but it got worse he lurched forward and held his helmet covered head in agony. He had never felt this much pain ever before. 

The young martial artist screamed, although it did nothing to ease the pain, he couldn't help it. Different liquids flowed in and out of his tiny body, the screams intensified. Now Ranma could be heard from outside of the plexiglass. The tests went on for about one hour all were painful and Ranma's screams carried throughout the special Canadian based facility. 

************

Robbie was horrified! He never would have thought that other human beings could do this to a child it was inhuman. He had to force himself not to throw up from the sickening screams coming from the boys mouth. He wanted to order them all to stop the tests but he had no authority. Only Paul Roberts did. 

The tests lasted about an hour and he rushed towards the tube that Ranma's body was floating in. The technicians removed all of the devices and Robbie rushed to Ranma's side. The boy in question lye naked on the ground in a fetal position shivering. He had nearly passed out from pain.

The fact that Ranma was still conscious amazed him. Any normal human being would have collapsed from the pain nearly as soon as the tests began. Although Ranma's mind was severely fragile because of his age. He nodded to the technicians and they began prepping Ranma for the Mind wipe of today's test. 

Ranma was hooked up and ready in about five minutes for the mind wipe he saw Robbie walking away from him in his time of need. Rob was his friend wasn't he? Wouldn't he make the tests stop? He didn't want to hurt anymore. 

Ranma's mind began to tingle and then the world went black. 

*************

(Ten years later They are now speaking English) 

Sensei Matthews fell to the floor in a heap as Ranma's fist connected to his face. Matthews rolled out of the way as Ranma's leg stomped to the ground where the man in black had been moments ago. Matthews got to his feet and jumped backwards to get some space between himself and his protegee. 

Ranma having anticipated this move leapt to meet the older man on the other side of the room. Ducking low and sweeping his teachers legs out from underneath him. The man fell to the floor and Ranma spun around taking a hand held knife out from his leg sheath and holding it to Matthews neck as he pinned the man to the ground.

"Do you yield Sensei?" Ranma asked in a cocky voice. Matthews checked his position to make sure if Ranma had a good hold on him and if he could break it. Matthews smiled.

"I yield." He said. "Good match Ranma." 

Ranma stood up off of his sensei and turned to walk away. Matthews got up off of the floor and Ranma put his blade away. "Yeah well was there any doubt that I wouldn't win?" he asked in a cocky confidant manner. 

"Don't ever get to confidant Ranma there is such a thing as over confidence you know." Ranma rolled his eyes. 

"Yeah, yeah! I know. " He said. "If you get to overconfident the battle is as good as lost. Well I don't have to worry about that Sensei. I know I'm better'n you." 

Matthews smiled cockily at the teenage martial artist. If you didn't know better you would have thought that they were related. "Oh you think so do you?" He said. "Well what say I go all out and not hold anything back then?"

Ranma's Sensei got into an advanced attack stance. Ranma followed suit but in a less threatening manner. "I could beat you in my sleep old man." He said. He didn't even see Matthews until he was upon him. He had jumped up to the ceiing and pushed off his movements were so fluid that Ranma was hard pressed to defend himself. 

Ranma retaliated with a hard right then a spin kick combo followed by a leg sweep and an uppercut. Mathews blocked the first punch and dodged the spin combo. He jumped over the leg sweep but the uppercut caught him napping and sent him across the room. 

He fell to the ground head first but landed his hands on the smooth wooden surface and he sprung himself backwards into a crouching stance. Ranma didn't wait and rushed the elder martial artist, hitting him with a flurry of punches and kicks. Most were blocked or dodged but many still passed through the martial arts teachers defenses. 

Ranma knocked him against the far wall and held his knife to his teachers throat again. "Want me to go all out now Sensei?" He asked. Matthews laughed and was about to take his student out when the door on the other side of the room opened and an older looking Robbie Cottrell peeked his head through.

"Ranma! Your being called down to lab for tests." He called. Ranma took the knife away from his instructors neck and spun it around in his hand before sheathing it on his leg. "See yah later teach. We'll finish this fight tomorrow." He said and walked to the door where his guardian stood.

Ranma joined Robbie in the hallway and they began their trek towards the lab. "Hey Rob what we got planned today?" Ranma asked. 

Robbie smirked. "What does it matter? You never remember any of it anyway." He said with a somewhat sad look. Ranma didn't miss it though. He had some pretty keen senses. And could pick stuff like this up with no problem.

"Hey what's up Rob you look down." Robbie shook his head.

"It's nothing. Really" He said. Before they entered the lab. Ranma look off all of his clothes except that of his pants which were made of the same material that Sensei Matthews was. He stepped up to the large tube and the technicians hooked him up to some slightly different machinery than was usual. Though Ranma didn't know what it was all for he would forget it all as soon as the tests were complete.

Robbie walked up to Dr. Roberts who was standing with the other scientists on the observing platform. "Dr. Roberts what are they hooking Ranma up to?" He said. "That's not the usual equipment that's used." 

Dr. Roberts, who's bald spot was now completely visible now that he's aged ten more years, answered Rob's question with what almost seemed to the younger scientist like anticipation. "Robbie. We are going to do to Ranma what was done to Login all those years ago."

Robbie looked at the old man horrified. *He couldn't possibly mean...* "Sir with the highest respect... Are you _Insane_!?! Ranma's just a kid. He couldn't possibly take it without going off the edge."

Dr. Roberts locked eyes with Rob. "What I do I do for the good of our nation. Ranma is more stable than Login ever was or ever could hope to be. The adamantium merger will succeed and it will go on as scheduled! Is that CLEAR!" Robbie nodded his head and stood back from Roberts.

He did not have a good feeling about this.

***********

The tests started off with a quick scan of Ranma's skeletal frame then the Adamantium bars in the tanks overhead shafts were heated, melted, and sent through small tubes into Ranma's body. The Adamantium was grafted to the boys skeleton by nanites that traveled with the molten alloy through the tubes. 

All seemed to be going perfect with the procedure. Ranma was resting in the tube quite quietly until the adamantium entered his body and his eyes flared open. The computers began to flash warning signs everywhere. Ranma's body thrashed violently in the tube for the entire procedure. The boys eyes flared open and all of the scientists were frightened at the sight. They no longer looked human at all. The teenagers's eyes seemed to glow yellow. Many scientists knew what was going on (to a degree) and fled others were just curious and stayed.

***********

Ranma thought that the tests would just go by and he'd be free to spar with his teacher some more. He saw a red liquid run down the tubes that had been connected to his body it came from several tubes actually and they all traveled deep into his body. Ranma closed his eyes hoping to just rest through the whole thing. Maybe that was why he never remembered them he probably fell asleep each time. 

Ranma's eyes flared open as the hot liquid entered his body. It seemed to cut into him like a knife or a _Claw_! It surrounded him through each tube the metal alloy passed bringing a pain long forgotten in his mind to the front. Like thousands of claws scratching across his body. He writhed in pain he tried to get away but he couldn't.

He was trapped in the pit _AGAIN_!!

The pain didn't stop in continued. Ranma could see all of the tiny cats surrounding him while he was bound by the fish sausage trapping him allowing him to do nothing but wait. The Agony stopped for a second and he was out of the pit. He was out of the pit but no sooner was he free from the pit than he was tossed into the jungle by the bald man. The man he couldn't put a name to the face but he hated that face more than anything.

He saw eyes in the jungle and those glowing yellow eyes jumped on him a new wave of extreme pain washed over him like an unstoppable tsunami. Tearing at his flesh at his limbs at his very soul.

It all stopped and Ranma Saotome was no more.

Ranma's eyes glowed yellow and his fists clenched menacingly. Three Claws of pure adamantium popped out from between each digit in his hands and he roared an animalistic roar that was picked up by the microphones in the tank and carried throughout the lab in an unearthly echo. 

The teenage martial artist tore at the plexiglass tube that surrounded him and encased him in pain and torment. With three swipes of the adamantium claws the plexiglass shattered and the green energy enriched fluid flowed out over the electrical equipment that surrounded the tube. 

Much of the equipment sparked and caught fire. Ranma leapt out of the plexiglass prison that had held him, tearing away at all of the wires and tubes that had been attached to his body. The teenage boy growled a deep throaty growl that reminded much of the fleeing scientists and technicians of a tiger or a panther. They never got very far as Ranma leapt tearing at bone, flesh, and anything that stood in his path to escape. The guards that blocked the doors ran to intercept the boy and stop him using cannons that shot plasma at him. 

The plasma weapons tore at Ranma's flesh boring deep holes into him, but it was all for naught. The adamantium grafted to his skeleton prevented to much damage and his healing factor compensated for the burnt and torn flesh. The boy was upon them like a hurricane tearing at their bodies with the claws that now were permanently a part of him.

The guards tore apart like the boys claws were the hot knife and they were the butter. Their bodies practically exploded in a hail of metal and sparks. Proving that the were indeed robots. The scientists and technicians fled from the lab and locked the large eight inch thick steel blast doors in hopes that it might stop the boys insane rampage. The Weapon-X employees cowered behind the large blast door. They could hear the primal growls and roars of the test subject and the claws he bore striking against the blast doors.

They continued to back away. Some of the technicians began to run as they saw one of the boys claws pierce through. This also spurned the other technicians and the scientists to follow in their footsteps. As the horde of Weapon-X employees ran Ranma burst through what was left of the large blast doors and crouched on all fours as he stared off at the men who were responsible for his pain. His back was illuminated by the fire behind him in the lab which had now consumed the entire room and small explosions ensued in the fires wake.

Ranma broke into an all out run on all fours after the fleeing crowd who locked them selves in a room where they would hopefully be safe. They were far from safe being that they had entered the generator room which was filled with plenty of high explosives that if set off could destroy the whole facility.

Ranma's form bust through the door after shredding it to scrap metal. His claws were bared and the slaughter ensued. He sliced at one technician but the man moved away and his claws sliced through a large hydrogen generator which exploded as soon as the gas was exposed to the air.

The factory shook from the explosion and half of the factory was torn apart by the blast. All who were near died. Ranma however was sent flying out of the factory flying through the air like a flaming meteor. He landed a few miles from the factory trailing a path of destruction through the Canadian forest that surrounded the facility. 

Ranma's body stopped in a snow bank, close to a hiking trail. His body lay beneath the snow healing. his right hand, which was burned and torn apart by shrapnel and the blast, stick from the snow int the cold Canadian winter air.

*************

To be continued.

{WOW! That was a long one now wasn't it. This is the first chapter to one fanfic that I've always wanted to write. I mean what could possibly be a better mix than Wolverine and Ranma? This is going to be a pretty big story and I have huge plans for it. As always C&C's (good or bad) are always welcome. In fact I encourage all to give me C&C's. Also if people have any ideas or suggestions for things that could happen in this particular story please send them to me along with any C&C's to anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com! All will be taken into consideration.

Pleases keep reading and sending in those good comments. That's the stuff I like to hear. Well, until next time Everybody I'm Josh_VH, and I'm Morden Night. See yah!}

Http://josh_vh.tripod.com/mordensranmapage/


	2. Taming The Beast

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Adamantium Rage   
  


Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, Wolverine, and Street Fighter do not belong to me.   
  


* *: Thoughts   
  


Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises   
  


{ }: Author's own thoughts   
  


_ _: Stressed words   
  


" ": Speaking   
  


Chapter 2   
  


Taming The Beast   
  


Ranma Awoke with pain running through his body like his blood was on fire. He opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a forest somewhere. Ranma looked down at his hand as he used it to push his body off of the ground. That's when he saw the three adamantium claws coming out from between each of his fingers.   
  


"What the _hell_?!" He looked at the claws in confusion, he had no idea what they were, he didn't remember ever having claws, let alone ones made off metal. Ranma's mind stopped and a painful memory flashed through his mind.   
  


*Tests!*   
  


*Pain!*   
  


*Cats!*   
  


The last memory came more painful than the rest. The cats. They had caused him more pain than anything had ever caused him. Large black cats tearing at his flesh with claws and teeth, teeth like knives. Ranma shook his head to get the images out. Standing up he walked down a path towards Weapon-X. He couldn't remember anything after the tests.   
  


He walked slowly along the path of destruction towards the destroyed Weapon-X Facility. He stumbled here and there while holding his head trying to make the headache he had gained from his flight go away. He heard some rustling in the woods that surrounded him.   
  


Ranma whipped his head to the right and unleashed the other pair of claws that he possessed instinctively. He then sniffed the air in the direction that he looked. *Food!* He thought as his stomach growled. He stalked slowly towards the woods unconsciously using his martial arts techniques to ensure that he didn't make any sound. As he neared the thick foliage that separated he and the noise, he licked his lips realizing that only now that they were dry.   
  


Just as Ranma was about to enter into the thick greenery something leapt out at him. Ranma fell to his back and kicked the creature off of himself with his feet towards the other end of the clearing, he then got to his own feet and faced off with it both sets of claws out and ready to fight.   
  


A large wolf stood on the other side of the clearing staring at the teenage mutant martial artist. The wolf stood about half of Ranma's own height, it was all grey with one large stripe of white fur running down the centre of it's back. Ranma began to circle the beast looking for an opening to attack, the wolf mimicked his motions.   
  


The Wolf pushed off and leapt towards Ranma, growling in hunger and fury. Ranma ran towards the animal with a cocky confidant smirk. The wolf jumped at Ranma and tried to sink it's teeth into his flesh, but Ranma was not there to bite. The large wolf plowed into the dirt head first. It looked back to see Ranma taunting it.   
  


Ranma was having a grand old time. His hunger was put off for the moment as he lost himself in the fight. If there was one thing he loved more than eating, it was martial arts. He pulled down one eyelid and stuck his tongue out at the oversized Wolf who growled with blind rage. It leapt at the martial artist who dodged out of the way.   
  


The wolf leaning from his past mistake compensated for the loss of a target and extended his front paws to the ground to catch his fall. Ranma's stomach growled and he sighed. "Well looks like its time you died wolf." He said more to himself than his inhuman opponent. "Nice sparring with you!" He said more intensely running towards the wolf with claws extended for the kill.   
  


The wolf tried to get out of the way of the human but Ranma was to fast and skilled. His claws pierced through the flesh of the animal which howled in pain. Ranma shifted his claws and jabbed them into the Grey wolfs heart ending it's pain. He bent down after saying a short prayer for the animal and lifted the carcass over his shoulders. He began carrying it over to where he had woken up deciding that it would be the best place to set up camp.   
  


He stripped the animal of its hair and skin. He then went about making a fire. He found a flint and twigs, and cut some larger pieces of wood with his new claws, which were excellent for slicing up the wood. He stroked his adamantium claws across the surface of the flint sending sparks into the pile of many twigs that he had gathered up.   
  


He remembered all of these survival skills from somewhere but for the life of him he couldn't tell where. He tried to recall some kind of memory of anything, of anyone. Ranma drew a blank. All he could remember was his name and a redheaded guy named Rob. But that was about it. Along with the memories of tests and cats Ranma had next to no memories at all. The ones he did have where foggy and mostly only gave away memory of emotions towards the images that were in his head.   
  


He shrugged it off and cut a piece of wolf flesh from the carcass that lay beside the fire. Ranma stabbed a single claw into the flesh and held it out over the fire. He now had a purpose. To find his past.   
  


**************   
  


The people in the village all stared towards the black woods that surrounded them with fright as an animalistic howl screamed through the night. The sound was so gut-wrenchingly inhuman that it turned their stomachs in knots. The chief looked towards the moon with a worried expression and put down his pipe. The sounds in the distance where cut off abruptly and the camp site turned deathly silent. The children cowered under their mothers embrace waiting for something to happen, waiting for some sort of monsters to burst from the shadows and devour them. An indian teen ran towards the chief with a panicked worried expression.   
  


"Chief leaping wolf!" He called just as he arrived at the old Indian chief's side. The boy was brandishing a crude axe in one hand and Indian warrior markings covered his bare chest and face. His long black hair was tied back in a single ponytail that reached down to his waist.   
  


"What is it Deep Water?" The Chief asked in a calm, intelligent voice that spoke of his age and wisdom. The young Indian boy, in his hurry, cut off the Chief from saying anymore.   
  


"Is that the Windego's cry?" He asked with pure fear induced panic. The chief shook his head, his long feathered headdress rattling from the motion.   
  


"No young one. This is a new voice that calls out in the night. One that has never been heard before." He said.   
  


"But what if it attacks the village?!" Asked the boy. "What if while we're sleeping it comes in here and..." The boy was cut off by a stern glare coming from Chief Leaping Wolf.   
  


"Keep your voice down! Do not spread rumors of monsters without proof! You are terrifying the children. Now, you are to take five of the most skilled fighters in the village and scout the surrounding area in search of whatever it is that made that sound. Do not come back until you have made sure what it is and whether or not it is dangerous to the tribe." Said Leaping Wolf sternly. "If you do not do this than you will be punished by Cooling Wind."   
  


The young teen Indian shuddered with fear as his skin turned white at the mention of Cooling Wind. Her punishment was like no other and he was determined to never face her unless on good terms. "I shall go and return by early morning with news of the creature." He said with a determined strength to his voice. His voice faltered seconds later. "Just don't send Cooling Wind after me." He said fearful of the woman in question.   
  


The chief nodded and Deep Water ran off to get the other five boys to go scouting with him. Chief Leaping Wolf looked into the fire and took a long drag of his pipe, letting it out a moment later with a heavy sigh. "Hunt Bravely my son. And come home alive." He mused to himself worriedly.   
  


***********   
  


He awoke screaming. His voice not his own but that of a beast. An animal full of Rage, Hate, Fear, and especially Pain. His mind was full of conflicting emotions but Fear took over. The images in his mind were so vivid it was as if they were real. Their piercing yellow eyes tore at his soul while their claws tore at his flesh. He tried to run, to hide, but they were everywhere he looked. Everywhere he turned their glowing eyes and gleaming claws glistened in the dark while their black furred bodies blended in with the shadows. To save his sanity, to get away he had to become that which he feared.   
  


A deep throaty growl escaped his lips. Ranma Saotome was no more as he crouched down on all fours and let out a loud roar that traveled across the cool Canadian Night air. Echoing in the trees ominously. Ranma's consciousness was thrown into the deep recesses of his mind and the mind of a Panther took over.   
  


Panther-Ranma looked at his surroundings and noticed the fire. He was unaware as to what it was and it frightened him. He ran off into the dark forest in search of shelter and food. Though his appearance was that of a human Male teenager, his mind was 100% Feline.   
  


As Ranma rushed through the thick foliage of the Canadian wilderness. He sniffed the air hoping to catch the scent of a small animal that he could hopefully hunt down and eat. He soon caught the smell of a small rabbit he stopped running and crouched low to the ground. After checking the wind direction he moved down wind towards his prey silently. He soon caught sight of the rabbit which was grooming itself in a small patch of grass. It's back was turned to Ranma and it was completely unaware of his presence.   
  


Ranma waited for just the right moment patiently and then he pounced. His claws extended from in between his knuckles and stabbed into the flesh of the rabbit pinning it to the ground. It's body spasmed for a moment and when Ranma was sure that it was dead he took his claws out and retracted them back into his arm. Ranma crouched down on all fours and picked up the small carcass with his teeth then he proceeded to trot off into the forest in search of a place to drink.   
  


**********   
  


Deep water motioned for another one of the Indian Warriors to move forward. Deep water had gathered together the top five fighters in the village to go scouting for the creature that had made the horrifying sound earlier in the night. They had all been reluctant to go after it each one thinking that it was the Wendigo. But in the end Chief Leaping Wolfs threat motivated all of them to go after the creature.   
  


They had been circling the wilderness surrounding the village for about an hour. Each time they circled their circle got bigger. They were near the river now. And had decided to stop and get a drink before venturing forward. Flaming Sparrow, who was one of the villages best trackers and one of the largest with short black hair, dark tanned skin, and many white warrior markings on his face stopped suddenly and listened for a moment. He called quietly for his comrades to stop. As soon as everyone was still and listening Flaming sparrow motioned for the rest to follow him. He lead them to a clearing that looked as if it had been struck by a large meteor. All the others stopped along the edges of the clearing and simply watched as Flaming Sparrow walked along the clearing picking up leaves and smelling them. He also noticed the skeleton off to the side with little bits of flesh still clinging to the bones, as well as the inedible parts which had been untouched. There was an almost burnt out campfire next to it. The crackling flames are what Flaming Sparrow had heard. Flaming sparrow fell to his knees as he recognized the oversized wolf skeleton.   
  


"This is the lone wolf." He stated simply as he stared at the skeleton in shock.   
  


Deep Water walked up to Flaming Sparrow and put a hand on his shoulder. "What do you mean Lone Wolf?" He asked. The larger Indian boy looked up at him. With a sad expression.   
  


"This wolf," He said "is the same one that killed my brother and nearly me as well. He is what gave me this scar." He said as he pointed to the three diagonal scars on his chest. "I have hunted this beast ever since then to avenge him. It was the one animal I could not catch."   
  


"Do you think..." Asked one of the other Indian warriors at the edge of the clearing, "That...the creature we are hunting is the one that did this?" Flaming Sparrow nodded.   
  


"Yes! It is the same. I know which way it went. But I am not familiar with this scent. It is unlike anything I have ever smelt before. It is as if, it is human... but not." Deep Water was beginning to think that going after this creature was much worse than anything that Cooling Wind could have done to them. He had a bad feeling about this. Flaming Sparrow was one of the strongest warriors in the village next to Thunder Hawke, and his nose was never wrong. He could identify any animal on earth just by the smell. If Flaming Sparrow didn't know what it was that he smelt than for sure it was out of the ordinary.   
  


The group progressed through the forest following Flaming Sparrow's lead. They came to a rocky moonlit stream that would eventually run off into the river. They walked along the bank of the stream as it began to get wider and deeper. They stopped to rest at a sandy beach Deep Water refilled a water container from the stream. He looked farther down the stream on the other side and saw a boy.   
  


Deep water watched as the boy, who was no older than he was, ate the raw flesh off of a dead rabbits carcass. The boy was nearly, completely naked, with only a piece of a sleeve intact. The naked boy looked up at Deep Water with animalistic eyes. They were a grey blue color but they were feral and inhuman.   
  


"What the?" He said as he watched the boy crawl on all fours towards the stream and began lapping up water now unlike a dog, but he moved with a more feline grace. It was fearless, and he could tell that it was ignoring him. It felt that he was not a threat at all.   
  


Just then Flaming Sparrow shoved Deep Water to the side and aimed his bow at the feline boy. "Get down Deep Water!" He yelled just moments before he let loose an arrow towards Ranma.   
  


***********   
  


Ranma lifted his head up towards the disturbance in curiosity just before getting hit in the side with an arrow. He let off a painful roar and glared at the boy with hate in his feline eyes. He realized that the water was deep at this point of the stream and decided not to try and attack, the boy across the water had the advantage with his flying pointy sticks. Ranma fled into the jungle. In hopes that they would not follow. He needed to tend to his wounds somehow.   
  


***********   
  


(The next Morning)   
  


A woman sat by a stream that ran close by to the Indian village. She was currently washing some clothes. In said stream. She was currently humming a very pretty tune. Her voice was soft and beautiful and seemed to match her physical appearance. She was very beautiful with long flowing black hair that ran half way down her back, her skin was a soft bronze color that reflected the sun giving it a beautiful glossy look, her eyes were a deep Crimson. She wore plain clothing consisting of light tan buckskin with beads hanging from the hem of her skirt.   
  


She was being watched. Nearly all of the teenage boys in the village have made it habit to come out early every morning to watch this stunning beauty wash clothes. Each of the boys that watched had a major crush on the woman, even though she was old enough to be most of their mother. She was the most pretty woman in the village.   
  


A voice rang out from behind the crowd of boys. "Everyone! It is time for a village meeting the chief has ordered that everyone be present! No excuses!" All of the boys groaned at the announcement and obediently, but reluctantly, followed the older man to where the village meetings were usually held.   
  


*********   
  


Cooling Wind could not help but smile. It was such a lovely day today. She enjoyed working in conditions like these. Especially with half of the male population of the village watching her. She liked to be admired for her beauty, her physical appearance was truly a blessing. Being eyed by so many men made her feel twenty years younger. She pretended not to notice though and opted for putting on that she was just enjoying the weather and her work.   
  


When one of the older men came by announcing that there was a village meeting being held. Her smile faltered a bit. She didn't like the village meetings they bored her ever since she was a little girl. It was always the village elders talking about the politics of the village and other unimportant stuff. Most of the time it was about stalling urban sprawl and them struggling to keep their land and way of life.   
  


She sighed and put down her washing equipment on the ground beside the stream. She was just standing up to go when she heard a sound from the opposite side of the stream. She looked back and forth from the retreating crowd and the forest on the other side of the stream where she heard the sound. She furrowed her eyebrows and opted for the road less traveled.   
  


After checking to see if no one was looking she walked towards a more shallow part of the waters and began to walk across. She moved swiftly. Little did she know that she was spotted by one of the younger teens in the crowd.   
  


Once hidden by the trees Cooling Wind stopped and listened once again. As she had hoped, the sound came again. This time she could hear it more clearly. She began to head off into the forest in the general direction of the sound. It sounded like an animal of some sort, like a cat only...bigger. She was getting really close now her feet crunched the leaves beneath her feet, she was too excited to notice all of the noise she was making moving through the thick foliage. She was very close now, she could hear it right around the next bunch of trees it sounded as if it were in pain.   
  


As She crept around the next bend she gasped at what she saw. It was a boy. The boy was completely naked save for a tattered piece of a shirt sleeve on his right arm. She moved towards the boy slowly and this time a little more quietly. Once she was about a foot or two away she crouched down and turned the boy over. He didn't seem to care at all. It was in so much pain. There was blood all over the ground, soaking the leaves that he lay on and an arrow was protruding from his left side.   
  


"Oh you poor boy." She said as she grabbed hold of the arrow and began to pull. The boy lifted his head and growled at her menacingly. The boy slashed at he with his right arm which had three metallic claws protruding from between each knuckle. As Cooling Wind jumped back to evade the claw swipe she unconsciously held onto the arrow that was lodged in his side and it was pulled from his body with one quick motion.   
  


The boy yowled in pain but then to Cooling Wind's amazement the wound healed up instantly not even leaving a scar. The boy stood up from the ground on all fours and looked at the place where the arrow had once been. He looked over to the woman who was sitting at the base of a large tree looking at him in fear. He saw the arrow in her hand and realized then that she had removed it.   
  


Cooling wind shivered as the boy stalked towards her on his hands and knees as if he were some sort animal, like a lion or a cougar. She didn't like the way he was eyeing her. It made her feel like a piece of meet he was eyeing for a snack. She clutched the arrow tightly in her hand and she tensed when the boy brought his head mere inches away from her own.   
  


The boy sniffed Cooling Wind for a moment and then he licked her on the side of her face. She gasped for air not realizing that she had been holding it just a moment ago. Ranma, realizing that this female was a friend and not a foe, lay down and placed his head on her lap. For a moment she just sat there and said nothing then she began to stroke Ranma's raven hair and make calm soothing sounds. Soon Ranma fell asleep. His healing factor had closed the wound but he had still lost a lot of blood from it and was in desperate need of rest. This female offered safety at the moment so he took advantage of that.   
  


Cooling wind didn't know how long she had been sitting there with the boy and she didn't care. This boy in her lap was in desperate need of help. He obviously thought he was some kind of animal. Most of the time she had been sitting there with the boy she was contemplating what it was that made this boy heal so fast. She had seen some of the village elders speed up their own healing ability using spiritual energy but never had she seen anything heal at this speed. The claws that the boy possessed were a whole other enigma in itself. She had only seen those claws for a moment but she knew that they were made of some sort of metal.   
  


She jumped in fright as her mind was broken out of her revery by a hand being placed on her shoulder. She looked up to see one of the teenage boys standing over her. She put her hand over the one he had placed on her shoulder and sighed in relief. "Oh Deep Water. It's only you. You scared me to death."   
  


"What is going on here Cooling wind?" He asked, "What are you doing with that boy?" Cooling wind was about to answer but the boy in question began to stir at that moment.   
  


Ranma awoke slowly. He wasn't sure where he was but he didn't care, he was very comfortable at the moment. He tried to sit up but a hand pushed him back down gently. "You must rest child. You have lost much blood." Ranma looked up to the woman with the heavenly voice. She was very beautiful. He had never seen her before, but, he had next to no memory at all.   
  


"Are you my mother?" Ranma asked the woman. He doubted that she would be but he had hope. He wanted to have some sort of link to his past. The woman nodded after hesitating but Ranma didn't notice.   
  


"Yes." She said simply in her calm soothing tone. Ranma smiled and lay his head back in her lap. He heard another boys voice not to far away but he was to tired to look up he decided to take his mothers advice and sleep for a bit. Not long after closing his eyes he fell into a peaceful sleep.   
  


Cooling wind smiled and stroked her new son's hair as he slept peacefully. She could sense a strong and kind spiritual force within the boys soul. She didn't regret telling the boy that she was his mother and she somehow knew that she never would. He had the heart of a hero.   
  


Deep Water gawked at the short dialogue between the forest boy and Cooling Wind. "What are you doing Cooling Wind!? You can't just adopt this boy without the consent of the Elders!" The teenage Indian said in shocked disbelief. Cooling wind looked up at him with anger.   
  


"Deep Water! My husband had died five years ago! I have not been able to have children of my own, no matter _how_ hard I've tried or how badly I've wanted to! The council of Elders will see things my way and I defy them if they see things any other way!" She finished that last part off with a very cold challenging glare. Deep Water backed down. He could see how protective of this boy she was. There was no way in hell that the boy would be able to convince the woman to forget about the pigtailed boy in her lap.   
  


Deep Water sighed and slumped to the ground beside Cooling Wind in defeat. "Fine." He said. "If there's anything that I can do to help you need only ask of me." Cooling Wind smiled at the young boys declaration.   
  


Deep Water couldn't help but smile back at the woman. Cooling Wind then cradled Ranma in her arms and stood up careful not to awake the boy as she did so. She and Deep Water then began to walk back towards the village. When they walked back into the village they carefully slipped past making sure not to be noticed by anyone. They didn't have to worry to badly most of the village was still at the meeting that was called earlier.   
  


Cooling Wind entered her Tepee and carefully set Ranma on a blanket on the ground. The boy was still asleep and quite peacefully at that. Cooling Wind smiled down at the boy affectionately. She would finally have someone to call her own.   
  


"Deep Water." She called to the boy who had accompanied her.   
  


"Yes?" He asked.   
  


"I want you to stay here with the boy If he wakes up than I want you to learn as much as you can from him. He obviously has some sort of memory problem so don't ask to many complicated questions. Merely ask his name and what he remembers about himself. I will go to get some clothing for him. Do you understand what you are to do?"   
  


Deep Water nodded frantically. "Y-Yes ma'am!" He said enthusiastically.   
  


Cooling Wind nodded and exited the wigwam in search of some clothing that would fit the naked mutant.   
  


***********   
  


"I FORBID IT!"   
  


"But father!" begged Cooling Wind to the head chief of the village council. "Ranma is a good boy. He has a very kind heart and holds nothing but love towards me and the rest of his peers." She rationalized. Chief Leaping Wolf shook his head furiously.   
  


"The rules of the tribe are simple. 'One can not adopt into their family without the permission of the entire council.' I have made my decision and that is final!" Said the chief.   
  


One of the other Chiefs shook their head and smiled. She was an old woman around the age of seventy or ninety. "Leaping Wolf I believe that you are being to hard on the girl and the boy who this meeting is about. I have met young Wild Horse, he has captured many of the young females hearts in this village and made friends with almost every boy. Why could you not be lenient this one time and allow the boy full warrior status in the tribe."   
  


"Because...He is reckless! I cannot allow him to stay with us any longer."   
  


Another chief spoke up from his place. "I have seen the way young Wild Horse fights and I am quite astonished as to his ability to learn fighting techniques, he has learned our fighting style and is nearly invincible with that healing ability of his. He would make an excellent addition to the tribe. He would surely pass on those traits to his young."   
  


Chief Leaping Wolf growled as he glared at the others. "That is what makes him such a threat to our tribe! If he were to turn against us then we would have no hopes for survival!"   
  


"My Son would never harm another of our tribe! He is..." Cooling wind was cut off.   
  


"ALREADY you speak of this boy as if he were your own FLESH and BLOOD!"   
  


"And I feel the same way in my heart FATHER!" Answered Cooling Wind dangerously. "I love him as if he were my own, I care for him as if he were my own, so He is my own! When I first brought him to the tribe he was scared because he had amnesia. I gave him a family and that means so much to him! How could you now just decide to take everything away from him!?!"   
  


One of the other Chiefs spoke from the darkness. "Chief Leaping Wolf, I believe that the council of elders is haveing trouble agreeing with each other what to do with one Wild Horse Saotome. The laws also state that when the council cannot come to a decision upon a subject then it must all come down to a vote." Chief Leaping Wolf frowned and breathed through his nose angrily.   
  


"Very well!" The vote will be as such. All in favor of Wild Horse staying raise their hands on the signal, All opposed will raise theirs when the signal is called. If the vote ends up equal on both sides then a random mediator will decide the outcome." All of the village elders nodded. And the vote began.   
  


"ALL FOR YOUNG SAOTOME'S STAY RAISE NOW!"   
  


Three hands went up including Leaping Wolf's   
  


"ALL IN FAVOR OF HIS LEAVING RAISE NOW!"   
  


Three of the elders raised their hands. Cooling Wind breathed out a sight of relief. Leaping Wolf called out to one of the guards at the front of the large wooden cabin. "Flying Dog! Go fetch a random villager and bring them here to decide the outcome of the vote!"   
  


The guard armed with the battle axe nodded silently and ran out into the village to do just as the chief had asked. Chief Leaping Wolf smiled as the guard left. He was sure that Ranma would be cast out. He had made many friends yes but he had also made many enemies in the tribe as well.   
  


***********   
  


(Just outside the council of Elder's cabin)   
  


Ranma looked to the ground with a downcast face. He had been living in the village for about four months now. Just when he was getting to know his mother really well it turns out that she isn't his mother at all. Ranma began to walk away from the cabin not wanting to listen anymore. Just as he was leaving Flying Dog ran from the cabin into the heart of the village. Ranma ignored it and went back to his home. Or rather, the home of his fake mother. He could hardly believe that she had lied to him all this time. Was everything else she led him to believe also a lie? Ranma entered the Wigwam that he had been living in for the past four months now. He looked over to where he had set some pictures of friends and himself. There was a large picture of Cooling wind in the center of all the other pictures.   
  


Ranma had only gotten a few pictures of anything, the village relied mostly on the environment. They preferred to live without the influence of the outside world. And only ever went to towns outside the village every once a month. They never bought much though.   
  


Ranma picked up a framed picture of him and all of his friends, in the picture was Deep Water, himself, a few other boys, and a couple girls. Ranma smiled as he remembered back to the day that the picture was taken they had a lot of fun sparring in the family's martial arts style, eating, and just playing around. That was probably the day that Ranma had felt, truly, a part of the tribe.   
  


Now that feeling was gone replaced with doubt. The same doubt he had when he first came here. In the beginning the others had thought of him as some sort of freak because of his metal claws that had been exposed one day when he was sparring with deep water. He hadn't hurt the boy but he could easily have done so. Ranma frowned as he realized that he looked nothing like his 'Mother' nor any of the other teens that he spent so much time with.   
  


Ranma slammed the picture down and rolled over onto his side. He soon fell asleep but tonight was not going to be a pleasant one. For the nightmares came back with the doubts that he felt. And the Panthers came back as well.   
  


**********   
  


Chief Leaping wolf frowned as he saw who it was that Flying Dog brought back to the cabin to mediate the vote between the elders. Cooling Wind was smiling at the girl who had been brought in. She knew that Ranma was going to stay now. For the girl they have chosen was very fond of him.   
  


Chief spoke to the girl menacingly. "Swift Fox! The council has voted evenly on both sides as to whether Ranma Saotome is to stay in the village or not." The girl was a little confused but she knew what side she wanted to vote for.   
  


"I want Ranma to stay!" She said with a smile in a bubbly voice. The council that had voted for young Saotome's stay smiled. Those who did not frowned. Chief Leaping Fox sighed heavily and nodded for the young girl, giving her permission to leave.   
  


"Then it is decided. Ranma Saotome is allowed to be adopted by Cooling Wind and he is to be given full warrior status as well. Cooling Wind was about to walk out of the cabin when an inhuman scream was heard right inside of the village.   
  


"What was that!?" Asked one of the elders in a panicked voice. Cooling Wind ran out of the cabin towards the sound to see half of the village running in random directions in panic and fear. Cooling Wind ran against the crowd towards the disturbance. Some of the people that ran by were warriors, many of them had deep wounds and scratches covering their bodies.   
  


Cooling Wind stood in the center of the village and stared in shocked disbelief at what she saw. *Oh god NO!*   
  


************   
  


(Meanwhile at the Council of Elders)   
  


"WHAAAT!?!" Screamed chief Leaping Wolf. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S GONE INSANE!?!"   
  


One of the older Warrior males stood, holding a wound on his stomach that was bleeding profusely, in front of the elders. He was gasping for breath and there were many more wounds covering his body . His buckskin pants were soaked in the blood that dripped from his upper body. "Wild Horse was sleeping and, hungh, I went to wake him for our nightly spar over the fire-pit. When he, aargh, a-awoke he screamed like an animal and began attacking anything in sight. I was injured while trying to protect some of the younger women."   
  


The council looked to each other with worry. "What shall we do?" Asked one. "Young Saotome has become a very serious threat to the tribe now. I with draw my vote for him to stay and am now in favor of him leaving."   
  


Another one held his chin in thought. What if we cannot get him to leave? He may just kill the entire village! I withdraw my vote as well in light of this sudden turn of events, but I worry as I wonder if it will do us any good anymore."   
  


"Daughter..." Chief Leaping wolf said with sudden fear and dread as he realized that Cooling Wind had ran towards the sound. He stood from his seat on the ground and ran to the front of the cabin. All of the other elders followed. At a speed that one would think people of their age were not capable of accomplishing. One stayed behind to see the injured warrior to the village's healer.   
  


************   
  


Cooling Wind stood Shocked ion the center of the village as she watched her adopted son Ranma take on the personage of a Panther. Many of the villagers were standing behind the Warriors who had all of their weapons unsheathed and ready for battle. Ranma had stopped fighting now and was just standing on all fours in a corner of a fence. His adamantium claws were unsheathed and he was ready to fight his way out if he had to.   
  


Ranma was crouched low to the ground ready to pounce on anyone who got too close. Cooling Wind felt a part of her heart break as she looked at the fear and torment in Ranma's eyes. She decided to approach Ranma slowly but a hand grabbed her from behind. "Do not go near Cooling Wind!" Said one of the warriors. "He has been possessed! I cannot sense my friend within him at all. Ranma is gone!"   
  


Cooling Wind shook out of the man's grip and glared at him. "NO!" She screamed right in his face. Her face became menacing in the flickering firelight off to the side. "Ranma is MY son and I KNOW he's still in there! He was like this when I found him!" With that said she took her gaze off of him and looked back towards Ranma who was growling at any and all who even looked him in the eye.   
  


Ranma's gaze looked towards Cooling Wind who was slowly walking towards Ranma. He hissed at her though seeing her only as the one who betrayed him.   
  


"Ranma." She said as she approached him. Something in her voice clicked in Panther-Ranma's head. He could hear nothing but love and worry. The worry was not for her safety but his. Ranma shook his head and glared at her as he growled, warning her to get back. The woman advanced. "Don't do this Ranma." She said soothingly. "I don't want you to be hurt."   
  


The human part of Ranma's mind struggled for control with his Panther part. Ranma didn't want to hurt anyone, the panther did. Ranma was upset at Cooling Wind but he would never hate or hurt her. The Panther would. Ranma-Panther sat on his haunches and held his head in pain as both parts of his psyche struggled for control of the body. Ranma's adamantium claws popped in and out of his hand. His face showed two side of a battle one human one not.   
  


Wild Horse fell to the ground in pain and lay still after giving off one more inhuman cry. Cooling Wind rushed to Ranma's side and gently caressed his back. She kept her distance still though not knowing if he would be the Panther or the Boy. The villagers all leaned in to get a better look. Chief Leaping Wolf rushed past the crowd and stopped as he saw His daughter kneeling over the Saotome boy.   
  


Ranma's hand came up and pushed on the ground, putting the boy in a sitting position. He looked towards the villagers who all jumped back in fright thinking that he would still have the Panther's persona. He put his other hand on the ground and lifted himself to a standing position.   
  


"W-What's going on?" He asked as he could not recall anything that he had just done while in panther mode. The villagers all sighed giant sighs of relief. Chief Leaping wolf stormed onto the scene, walking right up to Ranma and Cooling Wind angrily. Ranma growled at the Chief and his eyes flashed yellow. Everyone gasped and many fled as they saw this. They thought that he would turn into a Panther and kill them. The chief simply stood there frowning but not advancing.   
  


Cooling Wind put her hand on Ranma's arm and his eyes turned back into their original grey blue color. "Ranma please calm down." She said. "What happened just back there?"   
  


Ranma shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know. One minute I was sleeping and then I woke up here." Ranma wasn't really telling the whole truth though. When his Panther consciousness tried to attack his adoptive mother he suddenly woke up to find that his body was being used by some animal. He knew it was a Panther and he began to fight the panther for control of his body. After battling the panther took a more human like appearance in his mind while still looking very much like a panther. Mentally Ranma agreed to some sort of alternative with the beast inside of him and somehow they bonded to a degree that the Panther and the man were now one consciousness. He still felt generally the same only now he felt some more animal needs.   
  


He latched onto his mother in a bone crushing hug. "I'm sorry Mother. I overheard you say that I wasn't your son at the elder council and then I was depressed and...Oh no...was anyone hurt?" Ranma looked at Cooling wind with his grey-blue eyes showing nothing but concern. Cooling Wind looked over to her father. Who nodded his head.   
  


"A few of the warriors had been injured while battling you during your possession. Their injuries are not fatal and they will survive but the Council has made an important decision as to what to do with you Ranma Saotome. Your current problem poses a serious threat to the villages safety. You are being cast out because of the danger your presence poses to us all.   
  


"WHAT!?!" Screamed Cooling Wind. "You said that My son could stay!"   
  


"THAT WAS BEFORE HE DID ALL OF THIS!!" Yelled Chief Leaping Wolf as he indicated all of the damage done to the village. "HE IS DANGEROUS AND HAS BEEN ORDERED TO LEAVE!!" The Chief turned his back on her and began walking away. He turned around one more time and glared at his daughter. "He has until morning to be gone from here."   
  


Cooling Wind turned to Ranma with tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry Ranma. I-I wanted to tell you but I'd fallen in love with you." She hugged Ranma and began to cry openly. Ranma wrapped his arms around the woman whom he had come to love as a mother for the last four months.   
  


"Do you know who my real parents are?" Ranma asked as he held her back and wiped a tear from her cheek. Cooling Wind shook her head.   
  


"I do not. But I know of someone who might be able to help you out." Cooling Wind then dug around in her buckskin blouse and pulled out a picture of a tough looking Indian man with many warriors marks. "This is my little brother. His name is Thunder Hawk. Our homeland used to be in Mexico, but an evil man by the name of M. Bison forced us to leave. Our tribe then moved to Canada and have been living here ever since. T. Hawk is currently fighting in street fights to improve his fighting skills. He is the only person from our tribe who has perfected our fighting technique and obtained inner peace. When he defeats Bison he will return to us and we can return to our home."   
  


"What does this have to do with me?" Ranma asked.   
  


"I want you to seek Thunder Hawk out when you are forced to leave the village. He can teach you much more than I ever could." Replied Cooling Wind as she grasped Ranma's shoulders firmly. "Please Ranma, Please promise me that you'll find Thunder Hawk."   
  


Ranma reluctantly nodded. "Why don't you come with me?" Ranma asked. Desperately, not wanting to be separated from his mother. Cooling Wind shook her head.   
  


"I can't. My place is here with my people. When you find your real parents it will be awkward. I will prepare some food for your journey in the morning. But please write to me as often as you can, son. Never forget me for I will never forget you."   
  


Ranma now had tears welling up in his own eyes. He did not want to leave. For some reason he would not allow the tears in his eyes to fall. Men didn't cry. He told himself this in his mind but he was confused by it for he had seen his friends cry before and they were male. He nodded and his mother hugged him one last time. They stayed in that embrace for quite a while. Ranma didn't want to ever let go but he knew that he eventually would have to.   
  


The couple walked towards the tepee that they shared together as their home to spend their last night together as a family. {Not like that, Jeeze she's pretty much his mother. Get your mind out of the gutter guys.}   
  


***********   
  


Ranma awoke with a smile on his face. Another glorious day in the village. He couldn't wait to show Deep Water the totem he had carved the other morning. The other day... Ranma's smile faded into a depressed frown as he recalled the words of the Chief. From the other night when he went ballistic. "HE IS DANGEROUS AND HAS BEEN ORDERED TO LEAVE!!" Ranma got up off of the ground and began packing what little clothing he had into a small leather satchel. A small smile formed on his lips as he thought back to when he first made the bag. White Lizard had struggled to teach him how to make the darned thing. Despite both his and her efforts it still turned into a messy heap of stitched leather. It hardly looked like a bag at all.   
  


Ranma sighed heavily as he finished packing and headed towards the front gates of the Village. He heard his name called from behind him and looked over his shoulder. Three of his closest friends were running towards him frantically. Deep Water, White Lizard, and Drunken Crane.   
  


"RANMA!!" Yelled White Lizard as she ran towards him. She ran up to the boy and leapt into his arms in a bone crushing hug, or at least what would have been a bone crushing hug had Ranma not had virtually indestructible adamantium laced to his skeleton.   
  


Ranma spun her around as he lifted her up in the air after wrapping his own arms around the petite girl. The both stared at each other's eyes for a long time before White Lizard spoke. "I-I just couldn't let you go without saying goodbye one more time." Ranma then looked over at the other two boys who had called out his name. Ranma looked down and realized that he was still holding White Lizard in his arms. He let go swiftly and quickly, putting one hand behind his head instinctively and chuckling.   
  


"IT's not what it looks like guys! We were just, uh saying good bye! N' stuff." Deepwater thrust out a hand and grasped onto Ranma's in a firm handshake.   
  


"I will miss you my friend." Deep Water said with a smile on his face.   
  


"Same here." Said Drunken Crane with a stupid looking smile.   
  


"I Promise I'll write to you guys as often as I can. Look after my mother too."   
  


Deep Water nodded his head. "Of course I will. May the gods be with you on your quest...Wild Horse." Ranma nodded and turned around to leave before he felt the familiar sensation of the tears welling up in his eyes. He stopped dead in his tracks as White Lizard blocked his way.   
  


"A parting gift for you." She said simply before leaning forward and giving him a kiss on his cheek before running off in the direction of her home. As Ranma looked over to his other two friends he frowned at their goofy grins and then they turned around and started whistling to themselves as if they hadn't seen anything.   
  


Ranma nodded and turned around. Without another sound he was gone from the village. Of course the wolf whistles and howls could be heard from the village as soon as Ranma left.   
  


TBC...   
  


***********   
  


{ Whooo DAMN! Not as big as the last chapter but I wrote that all in one night so it was quite a chore. Anyway I finally introduced Bison as the Main Bad Guy. And Now Ranma is on a journey to find T. Hawk. Who has been looking for Bison for revenge for a while now. Now what would a fanfic be if the hero didn't find what he was looking for eventually. Of course there's also the issue on how he's gonna get from Canada to the US. Walking that far of a distance is quite a chore and would take far to long in real life so there'll be some other mode of transport. As for a meeting with the X-Men? Not likely in this story. From here on in it's mostly Street Fighter and Ranma. Deadpool may show up though. Considering he's an ex-Weapon-X employee. Maverick and Cable are unlikely. However I have a really cool idea for Bison. Oh you'll like it. You'll like it a lot.}   
  


Please Keep reading and reviewing. I love to hear what you people have to say about my work.   
  


  
  



	3. A Few New Friends

Check out the NEW Hotbot Tell me when this page is updated 

  
  


Adamantium Rage   
  


Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, Wolverine, and Street Fighter do not belong to me.   
  


* *: Thoughts   
  


Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises   
  


{ }: Author's own thoughts   
  


_ _: Stressed words   
  


" ": Speech 

Chapter 3   
  


Canada is not the warmest place on earth, It's climate varies and temperatures often reach extremes. Ranma Saotome was finding this out now for himself, he had never witnessed winter in all his time in the village, he had only been there a short two months, in that time it had been fairly warm. At first when it began to snow he had been worried, then delighted, with such long term memory loss as he currently had, he had never seen snow... or at least didn't remember it. The first day had been wonderful and the boy forgotten his woes momentarily as he admired the beauty of the white flakes that rained down from the heavens. The next day however quickly changed his opinion of the cold substance.   
  


It was cold.   
  


His healing factor helped a little but the snow had not stopped. It kept falling as he kept walking in a southerly direction. It was deep. His feet burned with the biting cold, his sandals not giving him nearly enough protection to stave off the freezing Canadian winter.   
  


He fell. He'd stopped counting the times that he had fallen, not caring at all anymore. His feet were numb, his fingers felt like they weren't there either. His feet plunged into the foot deep snow over and over again creating a steady trail of craters that resembled, slightly, the craters on the moon, which Ranma had lay sometimes by the river with his friends back in the village, just watching the moon until they fell asleep. This wasn't nearly as comfortable.   
  


How much further till he got to the U.S.? This was the only thought on his mind. He had a mission to fulfill,he had to find Thunder Hawk. He had to find out who he really was. That was the whole reason that he was trudging through the forests of Canada. With his name being the only link to his past, he hadn't much to work with.   
  


Ranma pulled himself over a small slope and continued on his trek towards the United States. The ground had become more stable and he was gaining a little more speed., the foot deep snow had died down to a very thin layer or packed down snow. However the blizzard that he walked through had begun to get worse, thicker.   
  


He blinked, trying to get the ice off of his eyelashes, his vision blurred, he could hardly see where he was going, it all seemed like it was just one big blob of flickering white. He stumbled and fell to his knees once again, his leather satchel fell from his shoulder and he struggled to get back up, his movements were slow and sluggish. His fingers were stiff and couldn't wrap around the leather strap.   
  


Ranma Saotome, decided to leave the hand made bag where it lay and continue with out it, the only possessions that were stored in there were pictures of his adopted family and friends along with a few things that he had made during his stay in the Indian village.   
  


He stopped and for a moment looked back at the satchel as it quickly began to get covered in the falling snow. The bag held his memories. His new ones anyway, it was all he had. He couldn't just throw that away. His mind was made up and he picked up the bag. He struggled but managed to throw the strap over his shoulder. And turn back towards his destination. Ranma blinked his eyes once he turned around, he saw something in the distance, it was bright and moving towards him, two lights ran parallel beside each other towards his position. Could it be a few of the villagers? Had they changed their minds and sought him out? Did they want him back? His frozen body began to unconsciously walk towards the lights at a faster pace, his feverish mind not able to heal fast enough to produce proper coherence.   
  


The two lights got even closer and Ranma could now see that they were connected somehow, he still couldn't see properly though and it looked like a blob with two bright lights. Everything went from white... to black, fast when the lights reached him and Ranma lost consciousness.   
  


*****************   
  


Alex Shaw frowned as he adjusted his red and blue toque so that he could see the road better. He could see his own breath inside the black Honda Civic as he slowly rode through the harsh Canadian blizzard towards Whistler. This, in his opinion was never a good thing. He was a fairly lenient person, there was only a few things he didn't like; Drugs, alcohol, coffee, and cold. The last one not so much as the others, but he was always grumpy when not warm. He'd gotten married only a week ago to the woman beside him, riding shotgun, excitingly looking over a map. She too wore heavy winter clothing, though with much more feminine colours. Her long red hair hung over her right shoulder in a neat braid. Alex took his right hand off the wheel and reached towards the heater to turn it up a lot.   
  


His hand never made it, his wife's senses and reflexes seemed to be like that of a wild animal and those traits were brought to the forefront as she smacked his hand away without even looking up from her map. "Don't touch that heater Alex. We don't need it."   
  


Alex sighed forlornly. "Why couldn't we have our honeymoon down someplace warm, like California or Barbados Sofie?" He sped up the car a little, eager to make it to the resort so he could spend some time inside warming up. "Why were you so adamant on dragging me up to this frozen wasteland?"   
  


Sofie, smiled playfully annoyed and punched him lightly in the arm. "Hey! I grew up in this frozen wasteland! You said yourself you've never gone skiing before so this is the perfect opportunity."   
  


"Perfect opportunity to freeze to death." Alex replied grumpily. "I'd probably be a LOT more enthusiastic if we could warm up on the way there."   
  


"Oh hush!" Sofie said as she picked up the map again, scanning it to find out where they were. "You've been doing nothing but complaining since we got off the plane. You'll change you mind onc..."   
  


SMASH!!   
  


"OH MY GOD!!" Alex screamed as he struggled to get his Civic back under control. The car spun wildly out of control over the icy roads. The worried man saw images from his past flash in front of him as time slowed down. Seconds turned into years and just when he was sure they were going to die the car stopped and the pair just sat there staring stunned at the tracks they had made in those few seconds.   
  


"W...What happened?" Sofie asked worriedly, staring at nothing with wide eyes full of fear. One moment she was the happiest person in the world, just married to a handsome young man, on her way back to Canada to go skiing on her honey moon, the next moment she has a near death experience on the way to Whistler.   
  


"I...I...I...think I...Hit..." Alex was shaken, stirred and pounded into a fine puree of guilt and fear, his expression matching his wife's as he looked at the road. He could hardly speak he was so scared. "A man...on the road... only looked away for...a second." Alex shook himself out of his stupor and turned the keys, turning off the car. He then slowly moved his hand to the door handled and grasped it shakily. When he opened the door with an ominous clicking sound a torrent of snow hit his face, feeling slightly like tiny bug bites. His knees felt weak and he stumbled to his knees as he tried to stand on the deep snow. He quickly pulled himself up to a standing position, ignoring the cold and forgetting about the open door to the slightly wrecked Civic. The young man trudged through the heavy snow and walked onto the road. He looked around and noticed that there was blood on the ground, and a leather bag, and a trail of small blood patches that led away from the trail that the car's tires had made. Alex didn't even think about it, he just walked, following the trail that he knew would lead to a horrible mess that he didn't want to see.   
  


What he found was surprising to say the least. A teenager, no older than 17 or so years old, was lying in a pile of snow, three of the trees that surrounded the boy were either knocked down or spilt in half. Alex rushed over to the prone form and checked his pulse, amazingly he was alive. Alex marveled at the boy, he looked of Asian decent but wore clothes that looked more like native Indians or something. He was handsome, rough features, and unruly black hair cascaded from his head. "Weird!" Alex muttered to himself as he cleared some stray twigs and sticks from off of the boy. "This kid doesn't look too damaged, and I'm pretty sure I hit him dead on." Alex had finished clearing the twigs and sticks from Ranma's body and put his right arm under the boy so that he could pick him up and carry him to the car. His eyes widened though when he tried to lift the boy. "This kid ways a TON!" He mused to himself as he looked down at the obviously unconscious boy. Alex turned from the prone boy after gently letting him down and then walked towards the car where Sofie still sat shocked.   
  


Sofie Shaw was stunned. She couldn't move, she was to shocked by the fact that they had hit somebody with the car. She didn't even register Alex's voice the first time that he had called her name. It wasn't until he made physical contact with her that she finally snapped out of her trance. "Huh? W...What's wrong Alex?" She asked, turning towards said person.   
  


Alex motioned over his shoulder in the direction of where he had found the boy and smiled weakly at Sofie. "Come on. There's a kid over there. He's too heavy for me to carry."   
  


"W...What do you want me to d...d...do?" She asked as she placed a hand over the one that Alex had placed on her shoulder, relishing in the small amount of comfort that it gave her.   
  


Alex sighed, seeing that his wife was in a small state of shock. "The kid I... hit... is too heavy for me to carry alone, I need you to help me carry him to the car. He's still alive but he may need some medical attention." Sofie nodded and slowly staggered out of the car. Alex helped her to her feet and the two newlyweds walked off towards The black haired boy's location.   
  


Sofie stared at the boy in awe as they came upon him. She couldn't help but notice how handsome he was, despite their age difference. She wondered how is it that a boy dressed so lightly could still be alive in such cold weather which she was, only now, beginning to notice. Alex moved around and propped up the boy's form on himself. "Get his legs, make sure you've got a good handhold." He said as he grunted and struggled to lift the surprisingly heavy teen. Sofie snapped out of her dazed reverie and nodded wordlessly, lifting up the boy's legs and trying to pick him up.   
  


She failed.   
  


Sofie gasped as he dropped the boy back to the ground. "Oh my god." She said as she covered her mouth with her mitten covered hands. "I'm sorry! I hadn't realized how heavy he was."   
  


Alex frowned and motioned to the boy that he still held on to. "That's alright hon, just help me get him to the car, then we can finish driving to the resort, they'll have some people there that could help him." Sofie nodded and bent down to lift the boy's legs up again. She succeeded but it took all of her strength to do so. She sighed in relief when they finally managed to get back to the, surprisingly only lightly, damaged car.   
  


Alex sat down at the wheel and turned the keys that were still in the ignition. "Come on!" Alex growled at the gasping and struggling motor. "COME ON!!" He yelled at it. A steady hum followed a moment later and Alex brightened up. "YES! It still works." Alex fumbled a moment with putting the black Civic into gear and then slowly pulled out of the clearing they had slid into.   
  


****************   
  


Doctor Feldnikk smiled as he raised his stethoscope from the topless young teenage boy that lay on a bed at the Whistler Resort. The Shaws had brought him in only twenty minutes ago out of the freezing blizzard in their wrecked up Honda Civic. "The boy is completely fine. I couldn't find a scratch on him, his pulse is strong and healthy, what else is there to be said, other than the obvious fact that he's unconscious?" The doctor chuckled a bit at his own, slightly inappropriate, joke.   
  


Alex Shaw stared at the doctor as he stood up from his kneeling position. "That...That's impossible! I hit that kid with my CAR!" Alex stood up and looked a little frantic. "I mean... I'm glad the guys all right but there was a trail of blood and everything. That was only around an HOUR ago!"   
  


Dr. Feldnikk chuckled again, his thick brown mustache bristling at the motion. "Please calm down Mr. Shaw. I'm sure that it's noting. I've heard of a tribe of Indians that lived somewhere around that area that are able to speed up their healing abilities using spiritual means. From the way the boy was dressed when you brought him in I'd say that it's a highly likely possibility that he was from that very tribe."   
  


"Speed up their Healing process?" Alex wondered out loud. "How's that possible?"   
  


Feldnikk shrugged his shoulders comically and smiled. "I haven't the slightest idea! HA HA! But I've seen it done and I can't deny it. You've really just got to see it for yourself to believe it." Feldnikk smiled once again and held out a hand to Alex. "I hope you enjoy your stay at the resort. I know I will!" The doctor then left the room all the while chuckling.   
  


"You sure that guy was a doctor?" Alex asked staring at the door that the Burly man had exited.   
  


Sofie walked up behind Alex and put her arms around him comfortingly. "Come on baby. Don't get so upset. This is our honeymoon." Sofie then slipped one of her hands up the front of Alex's shirt and rubbed his chest in a suggesting manner. "I'm sure we can find something _fun_ to do... If you know what I mean?"   
  


Alex smiled and turned his head and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Yeah... But tell that to the _unconscious kid_ lying in our BED!" He said grumpily as he glared at the half-naked teen who was, unwillingly, accompanying them on their honeymoon.   
  


Sofie sighed and sat down on the bed beside the boy. "I don't know Alex... he looks like he might be in the mood."   
  


Alex looked disgusted yet humorous at that statement. "GOD Don't even _joke_ about something like that! That kid's gone through enough today as it is, let's just find a hot tub or something and let him rest."   
  


Alex's wife jumped off the bed and grabbed his arm pulling him towards the door. "That's more the spirit Honey. Let's go!" Alex barely had time to lock the door before being dragged away from the room. He didn't mind though. He tended to think of the unconscious boy as a heavy guilt filled reminder that he had hit him with his car.   
  


****************   
  


The light was almost blinding. His head pounded like a herd of elephants. He could barely think straight. "Where am I?" Was all that he could mutter through the pain and confusion. All he remembered at the moment was the cold and the lights that had been rushing towards him before... "MOTHER!" He yelled as he came out of his dazed and confused state with a start. Ranma Saotome looked around him in complete and utter bafflement. He was in a room, but... no other like he had seen before, he looked down at himself and gasped. The clothing that he wore was different, bulkier and warmer, more comfortable.   
  


"Is this the United States?" He wondered to himself in perfect English. "Did I make it?" He muttered out loud. He got up off the bed that he was lying on and looked around again. He noticed the door and decided to look around some more, he was fairly sure that this wasn't the United states. He had a gut wrenching feeling that he had been set back rather than moved ahead.   
  


The door opened easily not locked from the inside and the young black haired boy walked out of the room. A few people walked by him and he paid them no heed. He needed to find Thunder Hawk. That was his mission, he needed to do this for his mother... for himself. All of a sudden Ranma was pushed aside rather roughly.   
  


"Hey Watch it buddy!" Said a man angrily at Ranma. He hadn't been paying attention to where he was going and had walked right into the man.   
  


Ranma looked a little sheepish. "I'm sorry. I was not paying attention. Please accept my apology." He said with a small bow towards the blonde haired man with the yellow tinted glasses.   
  


"You better be sorry! Little punk." The man then walked away in the opposite direction. "Put a shirt on buddy." The man muttered to himself. Ranma stared after him for a second and then continued on his way.   
  


He walked a little bit more and stopped at a window overlooking the resort that he was currently staying at. He stared in awe at the spectacle before him. There were hundreds of people outside in the snow, maybe thousands. Ranma wasn't sure he didn't really take into account the people on the giant slopes of the mountain. The crystal snow glistened in the afternoon sunlight and the blizzard from the night before had calmed down to a light gentle snowfall. Giant machines loomed over the people on the ground reaching up to the highest parts of the mountain carrying people inside their domed bodies to drop them off at the summit.   
  


"Incredible." He whispered in awe at the sight. He noted the people laughing and smiling as they sped down the icing covered snow hills of whistler on strange boots that were attached to long slender boards of plastic and metal. Some were separated and others were stationary and held both feet together. Ranma turned around when he heard voices and stared in wonder at the winter garbed people walking down the halls towards him.   
  


Three teenage girls had just com out of the cold with their skis slung over their shoulders. One of the three girl was carrying a snowboard under her arm as she walked beside her friends. They all wore winter clothing with toques covering their heads with what hair that could be seen hanging out the back.   
  


"And, like, did you see how I, like, totally went off that huge jump at the end there? Swear to god I almost broke my leg."   
  


"I know! Those things could be dangerous Jen! You shouldn't go off them until you get some more experience."   
  


"Hey girls. I think we should go find those hot tubs and soak up for a few hours. After all that time out in the cold, I could _definitely_ go for a dip."   
  


"Excuse me?"   
  


The three girls turned to the voice that beckoned them and looked inquisitively at the shaggy haired Japanese boy. "Yeah? What do you want?" The girl named Jen asked. Ranma looked a little bit sheepish and he blushed at the pretty girls. They wore winter clothing yes, but their curvaceous bodies still stood out in the tightly worn outfits.   
  


"Where am I?" He asked her turning his head while he looked at the ground trying to hide the blush that he could feel burning on his face. The other two girls giggled behind Jen and she glared at them before grumpily answering.   
  


"You're right there?" She said, stating it as if it where the most obvious thing in the world, while she pointed at where Ranma was standing. Ranma looked at his feet expecting to see something significant to his question but there was nothing there. This registered when all three girls started laughing out loud.   
  


Ranma shook his head. "No! No! I didn't mean it like that. I mean what is this place? Am I in the United States?" He asked. The girls laughed hysterically and Ranma frowned, the blush returning to his face with a vengeance. "What? What did I say?" He asked glaring at the small posse of teenage Canadian females.   
  


The girl named Jen calmed a little bit and put a hand on Ranma's shoulder. "I'm sorry , it's just that... You are SO far off!"   
  


"What do you mean?" Ranma asked suspiciously.   
  


"This is The whistler _ski_ resort in Canada. You're way off you're mark buddy."   
  


Ranma frowned. He wasn't too happy. This was not his destination. He needed to get to the United States fast it was his only chance to find out who he was. If he didn't get there soon. Thunder Hawk might have left and went somewhere else. He remembered his adopted mother saying that he traveled a lot and never stayed in one spot too long. "Damn!" He muttered. He looked up and noticed the three girls where still there, looking at him, and laughing, and whispering to each other. Ranma had very good hearing and could pick up what they were saying rather clearly. "What is this...hot tub, that you were talking about?" He asked curiously.   
  


One of the girls leaned in and whispered to Jen. "Here's a perfect opportunity to get to know him. I know you wouldn't mind." Jen blushed and then smiled at the confused Ranma.   
  


"Why don't we just show you?" She asked with a smile while her face turned red from embarrassment.   
  


Ranma smiled. "I'd like that. Thank you."   
  


The girls giggled and grabbed Ranma's arms, dragging him towards the hot tubs. Ranma was a little confused as to why they where all of a sudden changing their whole opinion on him. At first when he stopped them to ask about his whereabouts, they seems to not care at all. Now they looked at him hungrily and offered to show him this, exciting, hot tub thing. Ranma swore in his head that he would leave again for The United States right after the Hot tub. Making more friends was not a top priority on his list of to do things.   
  


Ranma smiled as he followed the girls into the hot tub room, they passed by a bunch of pools of steaming water and Ranma smiled. The door closed behind him and the girls. "So where is this hot tub thing?" Ranma asked the girls. All three of them whipped around to face Ranma.   
  


"What the HELL! Are you doing here?!" One of the girls, who Ranma had learned was named Nikki, said.   
  


Ranma looked confused. "I'm following you to the hot tub." He said.   
  


Jen glared evilly at him. "This is the GIRL'S change room! No boys allowed!" She yelled. Ranma looked confused. They told him to follow them and he did. Why where they getting mad? Ranma noticed the other girls in the rom changing and then looked back at the trio of girls he was with.   
  


"Why not?" Ranma asked.   
  


All three of the girls changed their expressions quickly to ones of disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me." Jen muttered. The other girls thought the exact same question. "Are you saying that you don't know why there's separate change rooms for boys and girls?"   
  


Ranma shook his head. "No...should I?" The three girls broke out laughing and then shoved him out the door. Together.   
  


"Just stay out!" Nikki said. The girls then turned away from the door and changed into their swim wear.   
  


Ranma leaned against the wall as he waited for the girls to finish changing. *Where are these hot tub things?* he wondered as he looked around. He had no idea that the pools of steaming water _where_ the hot tubs. He had no memory of his life, except for the time that he had spent with the tribe of Indians. He yawned as he stood there. The girls were taking a long time to change.   
  


**************   
  


Alex Shaw sighed in contentment and pleasure as he sat in the hut tub with his wife Sofie. He was currently kneeling in the middle of the hot tub while his wife sat at the side, giving him a massage. "See?" Alex muttered. "Who needs to pay a professional to do this?"   
  


Sofie smiled as well. She leaned in and bent her head down so that her lips were right beside his ear. "When's it going to be my tur, EEEEEEEKKKK!!!"   
  


SPLASH!!   
  


Sofie landed in the water rather loudly as Alex stood up abruptly. She sputtered out some of the water and moved to the side of the tub where Alex was standing. "Can I ask _why_ you just did that?!" She asked angrily.   
  


Alex looked towards a wall not too far off and looked shocked. "It's that kid that I hit!"   
  


Sofie sighed heavily and groaned. "Will you just let that GO! That wasn't your fault!"Alex shook his head and pointed at the wall where a Japanese male with unruly black hair stood, topless, waiting for something.   
  


"He's right there! Leaning on the wall!" He said in amazement and disbelief.   
  


Sofie's jaw dropped as she stared at the boy that her husband was pointing at. "He woke up already!?" She said, also in a state of disbelief. "That's unbelievable! How could he have come out of it so quickly!?" Alex shrugged and got out of the tub. Sofie followed soon after and they walked towards the teenaged boy's direction. A group of three of so females of around the same age as the boy came out of the girl's change room in skimpy two piece bikinis and one of them grabbed the boy's hand pulling him towards the hot tubs.   
  


Alex stopped in his tracks and Sofie took his hand. "Looks like someone's made a few friends." She said with a smile. As she watched the girls drag him into the hot tub. "Let's forget about him for now. I'm sure he'll be fine." Alex nodded weakly as he watched the single teenage boy get into the tub with the three beautiful teenage girls.   
  


"What a player." Alex muttered as his wife dragged him away from the scene.   
  


**************   
  


Ranma sighed contentedly as he leaned against the side of the Hot tub, half immersed in the steaming water. This was a _really_ nice feeling. His troubles just fled his mind as he sat there soaking. He had never taken a warm bath when in the village. They just washed themselves in the stream that ran by their village. The stream was usually very cold though and hot water was not wasted on bathing but used for cooking meals. He began to doze off as he rested his head on the edge where the floor met the tub. In his mind a vision began to form. A panther. For a moment Ranma got worried That he would wake up finding that he had just hurt his new friends, but he felt no fear. The Panther in his mind looked different than the beasts he remembered. It stood on it's hind legs like a man, but it's body was covered in fur, and the face was just like that of a Panther but it wore clothing. HIS clothing.   
  


"Ranma." It spoke as it turned to look at him.   
  


Ranma jolted awake. "Ranma?" Jen asked as she shook the boy awake. Ranma looked around half expecting there to be some sort of Panther man in the vicinity but there were only the three girls he had met earlier. The long blonde Jen, the short haired brunette Nikki, and the long haired brunette called Jenna. "Why don't you tell us about yourself Ranma?" Jen asked.   
  


Ranma shook his head and looked around making sure there was no panthers around and then looked back to the three girls who accompanied him in the hot tub clad in bikinis, who were looking at him expectantly. "I don't..."   
  


"Awww come on!" Jenna pleaded, giving Ranma the puppy dog eyes. Ranma, for some reason, faltered and gave in, despite the training and teachings of his foster mother.   
  


"I don't know about myself." Ranma said quietly confusing the girls for a moment. "All that I remember from my life is that my name is Ranma Saotome and that's it. I'm on my way to the United states so that I can find a man that can help me with my past."   
  


Nikki, Jen, and Jenna's eyes turned sad and sympathetic. "You don't remember anything?" Nikki asked. "That's so... sad!"   
  


An awkward silence passed over the four people in the hot tub before Jen decided to speak up and break that silence. "How... do you plan on getting there?" She asked.   
  


"I was walking there and then these bright lights came towards me... then I found myself here." Ranma said as he motioned that he was talking about the entire place.   
  


"You were gonna WALK!!" Nikki said amazed.   
  


Ranma nodded. "Speaking of which I better get going. I need to find T. Hawk as fast as possible. I need to find my past. I need to know who I am."   
  


"We'll help you!" Jen said.   
  


"We will?" Nikki responded confused.   
  


"We can't let him walk there all by himself. He'll freeze to death. He's not exactly clothed for a trip like that. Besides I don't think your mom would mind if we borrowed her car. It's for a good cause!"   
  


Nikki looked shocked. "My Mom's CAR!? She'd kill me if she ever found out! That's not to mention if we scratch it! She'd probably disown me if I even left a finger print on it!"   
  


"So she never find out then!" Jenna added in. "Come on! It'll be like a road trip!"   
  


"NO! I'm not going to steal my own mother's car! Forget it!"   
  


*************   
  


"I can't believe I just stole my own mother's car." Nikki muttered as she, her two friends and Ranma loaded up the last of their provisions into the trunk and hopped in the back with Nikki driving, Jenna, Jen and Ranma sitting in the back.   
  


"ALL RIGHT!! Let's get GOING!!" Jen yelled excitedly from the back. Ranma sat quietly in between the two girls and just smiled. He'd never driven in a car before. He'd seen a few and the elders owned a small car for when they needed to go into town, but it was hardly ever used and forbidden to the children. The one that Nikki's parents owned was much nicer.   
  


"Do you know how much a Jaguar COSTS!!?!"   
  


Jen leaned forward and smiled mischievously. "Can you imagine how cool we'll look driving one around Canada and the U.S.?" Nikki thought about this for a moment and smiled slightly.   
  


"I guess..."   
  


"I think we should head over to L.A. see the stars if you know what I mean!" Jenna added. "I kind of borrowed my dad's Visa."   
  


Ranma looked confused. "Why would you have to go to the U.S. to see the stars? All you have to do is wait for nightfall."   
  


Jenna shook her head. "No I mean _movie stars_! We want to see movie stars."   
  


Ranma still looked confused. "What's a movie?"   
  


"This man needs a T.V. and VCR STAT!!" Jen joked before breaking out into laughter. "This is going to be so much FUN!"   
  


*I'm going to be grounded for three lifetimes.* Nikki thought sadly before stepping on the gas and driving away from the ski resort.   
  


**************   
  


"AAAAANNNDD IN THIS CORNER STANDS THE LONE TEENAGE BOY WHO IS WALKING AWAY WITH _YOUR_ MONEY!! THAT IS UNLESS SOMEBODY OUT IN THE CROWD HAS THE GUTS TO TAKE HIM ON!!!" The room was dark, smoke filled the air from the many cigarettes that the people had in their mouths. Ranma Saotome stood alone in a cage-like ring with an announcer calling on people from the crowd for him. He had fought ten straight battles and won every time. He was hardly sweating.   
  


Boos and hisses could be heard from the crowd that surrounded the ring on all sides. A few cheers rang out but that was only because they bet on Ranma from the start and were winning money. Ranma smirked as he looked back at what got him here.   
  


(((Flashback)))   
  


Ranma Jen, Nikki, and Jenna were currently walking along the streets of Toronto. They'd decided to take a little tour of lower Canada as well on their road trip. They were all slightly sullen looking and Nikki was kicking around a stone on the ground.   
  


"This sucks!" Nikki stated as she kicked it onto the street. "Where's that gas station again?" She asked grumpily as she glared at Jen who was looking at a map. While she walked, stumbling once in a while.   
  


Jen looked up and just ahead there was an alley. She pointed at it while walking towards it. "We can cut through this alley and it's just on the other side." She said. The others followed not even thinking for a second what might be in there.   
  


The alley was rotten and garbage was scattered all over the place it was dark narrow and there was lots of places that could be used to hide in. "Yuck!" Jenna muttered as she unconsciously grabbed Ranma's arm as she looked around the disgusting, stereotypical, alley.   
  


"It's not that bad." Ranma mentioned as he walked calmly through the alley.   
  


"Well hello there."came a voice from the shadows of the alley.   
  


The girls froze in terror and fear as they looked towards where the voice came from and they all clutched onto Ranma. Ranma looked confused as a crumby looking ragged man came out from behind the shadows.   
  


"Uhm hello." Ranma said with a weak wave as he watched the man step towards them. He was feeling a little self conscious when the girls grabbed onto him. He wasn't very good with woman and they were all a little too close for his comfort.   
  


"Looks like you gots a little body guard there, eh ladies?" Came another voice from behind them where they had entered. "Guess we'll have to get rid of him."   
  


"Oh no." Nikki muttered in terror. "We...we're trapped!" Both the thugs pulled out little switchblade knifes and walked towards the group.   
  


"After we take out all you're boyfriend here we was thinkin that we could have a little fun." said the first one menacingly as his knife glinted in the minimal amount of sunlight. That was when the girls noticed the bulge in the mans pants.   
  


"You disgusting freaks!" Jen screamed at the men as she whipped her head between both of them frantically. "You're, like, twenty years older than us!"   
  


"Uhh what's going on?" Ranma muttered as he looked at them.   
  


The thugs laughed at Ranma's statement. "Ain't it obvious kid?" Asked the first thug as he tugged at his crotch. "We're gonna beat yah to a pulp and then take your girlfriends on the wild ride o their lives.   
  


"Oh my god we're gonna die!" Jen said weakly. Ranma frowned at the thug.   
  


"I disagree with you." He said angrily once he figured out what they were going to do, or at least what he thought they were going to do. Either way he didn't like threats, especially when it was directed towards his friends.   
  


Ranma shook free of the girls and jumped over their heads towards the first tug. Ranma then got into his tribe's fighting stance and faced off against him. The thug laughed and waved the knife in front of the pigtailed boy's face. "You think a lil punk like you can beat the both of us?" He said. Ranma rushed forward before the thug could react and punched him across the jaw, sending him sprawling. The thug held his jaw in absolute pain and glared at the boy. "YOU'RE DEAD KID!!" He yelled as he ran towards Ranma. Ranma jumped over the thugs thrust and kicked him as hard as he could in his ribs. Ranma heard a crack and the thug flew into the wall face first, creating small craters in the bricks and making a snapping sound that echoed in the alley.   
  


The thug dropped to the ground in a heap of garbage...lifeless.   
  


"HOLY SHIT!! YOU JUST KILLED HIM!!" Yelled the other thug in shock as he looked at the lifeless eyes of his partner in crime. The man looked at Ranma as he walked past the stunned trio of teenage girls and advanced on the second crook slowly. The thug dropped his switchblade and turned around to run. Ranma jumped straight over the thug, twisted in mid air and brought his foot around in a mid air spin kick, connecting with the side of the mans face so hard that it twisted right around 360 degrees and knocked him against the same wall. Ranma glared at the two fresh corpses for a moment and the girls just stared at him in shock and horror.   
  


Ranma all of a sudden blinked and lightly shook his head as if snapping out of a daze. "Wha? H.. Who the?" Ranma looked down at the corpses again and noticed that their necks where broken. "What the? WHAT HAPPENED!?" Jen, Nikki, and Jenna stared at the bodies and then looked up to Ranma. "You...you killed them." Jenna stated. She felt faint and almost fell over but the other two girls noticed her sudden condition and held her up.   
  


Jen was the first to recover. "Lets get out of here. We don't want anyone to know about this. Lets all never speak of this again. Jen and Nikki pulled Jenna away and Ranma followed closely behind. The headed for the gas station and then Jenna stopped. "SHIT!" She said.   
  


"W...What!? What's wrong!?" Ranma said worriedly. He didn't feel like any more bad news. He frowned as he looked back on his fight with the thugs. It was like he was in a trance. He felt...feral, when those guys threatened his and his friend's lives. It was almost as if someone took control of his body and he was watching from the sidelines. He couldn't really explain it and he felt...scared.   
  


"We're out of money!" Jen said with growl.   
  


Nikki groaned. "How the hell are we going to get gas now? We'll never make it to the US!"   
  


"I believe that I can help you." Said a man from the shadows of the alley they had just exited. Ranma turned around and got into a fighting stance. The man put up his hands defensively. "I'm not a threat to you boy. I think that I may even be your salvation."   
  


"What do you want!" Ranma growled. The could have sworn that he saw them flash yellow.   
  


"I saw your fight. I was going to help, but I realized that you had no use for it. You're a very skilled fighter. When I heard that you folks where short on cash I thought it would be worthwhile to help you out." He said.   
  


Ranma glared at the man trying to decipher the mans intentions. The man was tall, well muscled and moved like a very skilled fighter. The man was Caucasian and had long flowing white hair that showed he was older than his frame suggested. He had a bandanna around his head and a type of fighting wrist guards half hidden beneath the sleeves of his long dark trench cold, which moved around in the light wind, barely noticeable. Ranma smiled. "What do you want us to do in return.   
  


The man chuckled. "I'm not going to give you money and expect you to owe me a favor boy. I'm letting you in on little secret, one that would allow you to earn your own money. The way you fought back there, I think that you'll have no problem."   
  


Ranma let his guard down slightly. "Go on."   
  


The man reached inside his pocket and pulled out a piece of orange paper. "This is a flier for a underground street fighting tournament. Anyone can sign up to fight in it, anyone can bet in it. If you win you get a large sum of money and the respect of the other fighters. I'll warn you though. It's not just a walk in the park."   
  


Ranma let his guard down completely and took the paper from the man. He remembered his foster mother telling him that Thunder Hawk competed in these tournaments, this could help him find the man, and his past. Ranma folded up and put it away.   
  


(((Present)))   
  


Ken Masters walked swiftly through the tight crowd and walked towards the front where a few girls were cheering on the kid in the ring. He smiled as he watched the kid dispatch yet another opponent. He got up to the front and smiled as the announcer called on the crowd to fight the boy. He was looking forward to seeing how this turned out. The kid came out of the blue and had already dispatched all of his opponents. He beat all of the regulars and most of the people in the crowd were booing him badly, angry that they were losing so much money on these fights. Some wouldn't bet on him because he was new, most wouldn't because he was just a teenager. Ken wasn't a whole lot older than the boy and decided that this could be a good experience.   
  


He wanted to see Just how good the kid was. Ken put up his hand and humbly said. "I will fight him!" The referee pointed to Ken and addressed the crowed as he opened the cage to the ring and let the long blonde haired man in.   
  


"LLLLLLADIES AND GENTLEMAN!! I GIVE YOU YOUR SAVIOR!!" He stated as he motioned to the red ghi clad form of Ken masters as he entered the ring.   
  


Ken smiled as he gave his black belt a tug and faced off against the Black pigtailed boy, who seemed a little spaced out at the moment. The ref grabbed both of their hands and led them to the middle. "Shake hands and come out fighting!" He said into the small microphone clipped to his shirt. He stepped back, exited the ring and rung the bell at the side signaling the start of the fight.   
  


***************   
  


"GO RANMA!!"   
  


"KICK HIS ASS!!"   
  


"YOU'RE NUMBER ONE!!"   
  


Ranma smiled aver at where the girls were cheering him on as he shook hands with Ken. He turned hi attention back to the Long Blonde haired man in the Red sleeveless martial arts Ghi. "Good luck." Ranma said, not wanting to get off on the wrong foot with the man despite they were fighting each other.   
  


"You too." Ken said with a smile. The then stepped back and got into their particular styles of martial arts.   
  


Ranma growled and rushed first, going straight for a knockout blow like he had so many of the other fighters. Ken dodged to the left. Ranma looked a little surprised at the man's speed and pushed a little harder, throwing a complicated series of punches and kicked. Ken dodged all of the punches and a few of the kicks. Ranma corrected his aim and sent a kick straight for Ken's mid section. Ken blocked the kick but hadn't anticipated the strength of the blow and flew against the cage stunned. "Wha...What the hell is this kid made of!?" He stuttered shocked. His eyes widened and rolled away from a kick that was aimed at his head. Ken jumped to his feet and jumped to his feet, getting into a ready stance.   
  


He had hoped that the distance would give him a moment to applaud Ranma on his skill but the black haired boy jumped towards the man, not allowing him to speak. Ranma landed with the flying kick that missed and spun around hoping to catch Ken with the back of his fist. Ken ducked and gave Ranma an uppercut. Ranma landed on the ground hard, but got up just as quick.   
  


Ken smiled as he saw the blood on Ranma's lip. He stared shocked however when he saw the blood slide back up his chin and heal the wound instantly. "Wha? What the hell!?" Ranma jumped forwards and began a flurry of punches and kicks that Ken was hard pressed to dodge. Ken managed to get a few hard hits in that rocked Ranma, but he bounced back just as fast if not faster.   
  


*How the hell does he do that?* He thought as he threw a flurry of punches of his own at the boy. He was caught by some but not enough to actually matter. Ken found himself being backed into a corner and thought that this was the end. *I have to end this quick if I'm going to end this at all!* He thought desperately.   
  


Ranma's eyes widened as he watched Ken dodge most all of his blows. He was just as fast as he was, if not than faster. Ken's body began to glow red and Ranma continued to press onward, ignoring the aura of chi surrounding the blonde martial artist.   
  


Ranma smiled as it finally looked like he had the advantage. He reared back his right fist and prepared to deal the knockout punch.   
  


"SHORYU KEEEEEENN!!!" Ken yelled as he ducked down and slammed a flaming, chi powered, fist underneath Ranma's chin, the energy rocketed Ken upwards and Ranma shot through the chain-link fencing that was the top of the ring. Ken landed on his feet at the edge of the ring and smiled. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he watched Ranma's smoking body fall to the ground. The crowd stared in awe at the display of skill and power that Ken possessed and Ken gave a victory sign to signal his win.   
  


This was short lived and a hand shoved Ken back up against the chain-link fence. Ranma put a fist to Ken's throat and then two claws burst out from in-between his knuckles on either side of Ken's neck. Ken looked shocked that his Shoryu Ken hadn't worked and Ranma smirked as the burns on his face began to slowly heal. "Here's two of my claws." Ranma said with a malicious smirk. "Want to see the third?" He asked. Ken panicked and thrust his hands forward. "HADOU KEN!!!" He shouted as chi built up quickly in his hands and burst forth, striking Ranma in the chest. Ranma screamed in absolute agony as the high level chi blast tore into his flesh and burned the entire front of his body. He flew through the air and hit the corner of the ring, slamming into the post with a loud clang.   
  


The arena was silent. Ken looked at his opponent and then the Referee came into the ring. The ref, cautiously crept up beside Ranma and started to hit the ground that his smoking body was laying on.   
  


The ref counted all the way up to ten and Ranma didn't move. The small man with the slight beer belly and the striped shirt walked over to Ken and raised his right arm. "L...LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! I GIVE YOU OUR NEW CHAMPION!!" He said proudly and yet a little scared at the mans powers. Ken smiled and gave the victory sign again. This time however he really had won.   
  


{I'll bet you guys didn't think he'd win.}   
  


***************   
  


Hours later Ranma awoke with a huge headache. "What happened?" He asked to nobody in particular. He sat forward a little and leaned on his elbows.   
  


"You lost the fight Ranma." Came a familiar voice. Ranma opened his eyes and noticed the three girls standing around him.   
  


"Did we win any money?" He asked. Jen nodded.   
  


"We pulled out of the betting pool just before you fought Ken. We won a fortune." Ranma smiled and coughed.   
  


"Glad I could help." He said. "What the hell'd he hit me with? Felt like a bomb. Normally I'd be healed by now." Nikki looked concerned and frowned.   
  


"He shot a chi blast at you. He didn't mean to hurt you as bad as he did, but you pulled those claws on him and he just freaked."   
  


Ranma chuckled lightly. He almost never used his claws. He didn't like them at all. They confused him to no end and every time he popped them from between his knuckles he couldn't help but wonder where he had acquired such things. "I can't remember." He said as he closed his eyes. "I remember tests... or...something."   
  


Jenna looked sympathetic and stroked the side of his face. "You poor thing. Not knowing anything about yourself."   
  


Just then a familiar voice rose up from behind the girls. "What!? He almost impales me and your sympathizing him cause he can't remember something!?" Ranma sat up more and looked at who said that. Ranma stood up as he recognized the man before him. "Your name is Ken...the one I fought. How did you do that?" He asked amazed at the memory of the attacks the blonde man used.   
  


Ken smiled slightly seeing that there was no hard feelings between them. "I'm a martial artist, I've just gotten to a point of control where I can manipulate a spiritual form of energy called Chi. It's life force energy." Ranma looked amazed as he thought about this.   
  


*Life force? Chi?* Ranma looked up at Ken and smiled. "I'm Ranma Saotome. Do you think you could teach me how to do that?" He asked.   
  


Ken looked surprised at Ranma's response after the slightly older Ken defeated him. He chuckled and put a hand on the back of his neck reflexively. "Heh heh. Here I thought you were gonna kick my ass because I beat you." He said.   
  


Ranma smirked. "I may take you up on that later."   
  


Ken stopped and looked upset with himself. "Oooh! Me and my big mouth." He muttered. He then ;looked at Ranma inquisitive. "So why's a kid like you fighting in these tournaments?"   
  


Ranma frowned. "We needed money for gas. I need to get to the US to find a man named Thunder Hawk. I was told that he could help me find out who I am."   
  


"You got amnesia or something?"   
  


Ranma nodded.   
  


Ken smiled and then put an arm around his shoulder. "I'm heading in that general direction also! Mind if I join yah? I could trade you lessons for a ride." Ranma smiled.   
  


The girls all smiled. "Of course you can come!" Jen said.   
  


"Yeah we'd be MORE than happy to accommodate a handsome fellow such as yourself." Nikki said with a gleam in her eye and a lecherous smirk on her face.   
  


Ken smiled. "Hey thanks. We can stop off at all the street fights along the way."   
  


Ranma smiled as they made their way back to the car. He liked Ken a lot already.   
  


**************   
  


Ken's Eyes bugged out of his head as he looked over the sleek exterior of the Jaguar. "Wow. This is a really nice ride." Nikki blushed slightly as Jenna, Jen, and Ranma piled into the car.   
  


"ThThank you."   
  


Ken nodded. "Guess I'm sitting up front with you eh?" Nikki nodded and rushed over to the driver's side. Ken sat down in the passenger side and Nikki started the car.   
  


************   
  


The next day Ranma found himself kneeling in a grassy clearing on the outskirts of Toronto. Ken kneeled in front of him and looked serious the girls were over by the Jaguar sitting around and talking privately. Ken cleared his throat and stared at Ranma. "Chi is the energy that resides in everything. Every rock, tree, person and animal has chi, which is their life force energy. If one trains and learns to harness and control their chi, there's no telling what they could do." Ranma stared intently at his new sensei, taking in everything that he said. Ken continued. "The form of chi that you saw me use was called the Hadou. There's only two other people I know that can use this energy. My friends Ryu and a man named Dhalsim, who had taught us the technique in the first place." Ken paused and stood up. "Once you learn how to use Hadou you can create different attacks based on the energy you use. You've already felt my Shoryu Ken."   
  


Ranma nodded. E didn't really like the memory of that particular attack. It hurt. A LOT! The Hadou was even more powerful and he did NOT want to be on the receiving end of that again. It actually took him an entire day to heal from that. Usually he healed almost instantly. "How do I train in this technique?" He asked his mentor.   
  


Ken smiled. "First you have to find your centre."   
  


Ranma nodded and stood up off the ground. He got into a comfortable fighting stance and closed his eyes. He listened to Ken as he went on about the Hadou and how to use it. Ranma began to spin his arms slowly in front of him, making a circular pattern, while keeping both of his arms level with the ground.   
  


"Good." Ken said as he watched Ranma perform the first step. "Now concentrate on the energy around you, your aura, the energy in the air, the ground. Pull it all in."   
  


Ranma sweated as he began to do this. He could feel the energy begin to form, but it was a lot more straining than he thought it would originally be. He opened his eyes and noticed small green lights coming towards him from every direction. Ranma gasped and stopped pulling in the energy around him. Ranma fell to the ground and breathed heavily. Ranma held his gut and panted. "Why does it hurt so damn much!?" He said as he clutched stomach.   
  


Ken shrugged. "I have no idea. It was like that for me and Ryu as well. It takes a lot of time and practice. I'm actually surprised that you were able to pull in that energy on your first try. That's absolutely incredible." Ranma smiled weakly and coughed a little.   
  


"Thanks."   
  


***************   
  


A dark figure sat in a room alone, staring at a monitor. The man was huge, obviously not an average person. In fact some would say that he was a giant. In a way he was. He sat ominously in the dark room, lit only by the screens in front of him, his fingers tented in front of his face, a deep purple and red cape draped over the arm rest on the large throne like, metallic seat. The man stood up and his nostrils flared signifying that he was upset with what he saw on the screen. "This is going too slow. I will not accept this." The man's voice was deep and spoke of power, his very essence breathed power. As he walked toward the technologically advanced screens and pressed a button on the console, holding it down before speaking to a picture of a old man. "Finding martial artists like this is getting tiresome professor. I want results and what you've gotten me is not an army. I need you to dig up all of the background on every single street fighter around the world and find out any way at all that you could blackmail them into joining us. I don't have the patience to be picky."   
  


"But sir." Protested the elderly man from the other end of the video communications transmitter. "We have to be delicate about this. If the law enforcement finds out..."   
  


The man revealed his face by leaning in towards the screen menacingly. M. Bison didn't like being talked back to and he felt like pointing this out to the insignificant professor by cutting him off. "By the time we have made up our army of martial artists the police, FBI, CIA and all the others will be in the dark as to what I have planned until it's too late." The old professor nodded humbly and agreed weakly, not wanting to have to face the wrath of M. Bison. The leader of Shadow Law, the biggest Terrorist organization in the world. He was the last person you wanted after your hide. "Now professor, anything new that would interest me?"   
  


The professor was about to shake his head no, but then he remembered something and shuffled a few papers around on the console before picking up a certain piece of paper. "There is one thing that I think may interest you sir."   
  


"Proceed." Bison said as he walked back and sat down in his throne again, ominously folding his fingers in a tent like position again. "This had better be good too." he said darkly, promising pain if it did not please him.   
  


The doctor cleared his throat nervously and began to read what was on the paper. "A...Apparently a new fighter has emerged from one of the less known street fighting rings in Canada. Reports are saying that the boy had mettle claws."   
  


Bison frowned angrily. "This is not important. I don't want you to inform me of every single fighter with a shiny set of toys."   
  


The doctor shook his head. "No sir I'm afraid you misunderstand. The boy healed his wounds instantly and the claws came from in between his knuckles. He some how is able to retract these claws into his arm. and had complete control as to when they came out."   
  


Bison leaned forward and smiled. "This sounds familiar. I've heard of a secret government organization known as Weapon-X. I've had a few operatives there but my contact with them has been terminated due to an accident." Bison paused for a moment contemplating what to do about this current turn of events. "What is his name?" He asked the professor.   
  


The professor looked over his notes and sweated slightly under the gaze of his master. "R...Ranma Saotome."   
  


Bison smiled wickedly, a flash of red moving across his pure white eyes. "Find out everything you can about this boy's family first of all, then find the boy. I want you to find out who he's related to, where he trained, and all medical records, school records, I want you to dig up EVERYTHING!" Bison stood up and then turned around, heading for the large metal door at the end of the room.   
  


"Y...Yes sir!" Muttered the man fearful as he bowed deeply to the retreating image of the man.   
  


***************   
  


Author's notes: {I've decided to end this here Bison's here and now he's after Ranma. OH NO!! Whay. Anywhay. I was trying to go for detail with this if I did okay. I just thought that it would make more sense if Ranma lost his Fight against Ken. After all Ken is older, more experienced, has the Hadou technique and Ranma hasn't been taught to his full potential. All he did was master T Hawks fighting style, minus any chi attacks. I'll explain shit like that later. I hope you liked this chapter. I really wanted to get into the Street Fighter aspect of this fic. There may be more yet to come.}   
  


Morden Night: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com 

  
  


(") 


	4. Making TV history

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Adamantium Rage   
  


Chapter 04   
  


Making TV history   
  


Ranma smiled as he rested his head on the window of the car. He glanced over at Ken who was sleeping and then at Jen and Jenna who were following his example while Nikki drove. He couldn't help but smile as he turned his head and watched the cars rush past in the opposite direction. They had finally gotten to the United States. It's what he'd been trying to do ever since he left the village. Now all he had to do was look around for Thunder Hawk in the street fighting competitions. Ranma sighed as he tried to bring up a memory or two from his forgotten life.   
  


Nothing.   
  


Everything up until the day he awoke in the clearing was blank."Damn it!" He muttered as he scrunched his face in a scowl. It was really starting to irritate him. He wanted to know who he was. Ranma sighed. Tomorrow would be a lot simpler. All he had to do now was find Thunder Hawk.   
  


**************   
  


The next day...   
  


Ranma smiled as he glared at his opponent across from him. He hadn't found T hawk yet, but it was the first tournament that they had entered since they had gotten to the US. "Come on! Quit stallin!" Ranma called out to his opponent who was currently smelling a red rose that he was carrying with him. The man had long blonde hair , a bare chest, yellow skintight pants, with a long blue line running down each side, a pair of claws attached to an arm bracer on his right arm and a white mask with two purple patterns that rested underneath each of the eye holes, which were the only part of his face that you could see. The man's eyes opened and Ranma could clearly see the madness in the man's features as he leapt towards him after slashing the Rose with his claws.   
  


Ranma smiled and popped out one set of his own claws, prepared for the man's aerial attack. Ranma shifted to the side and dodged the man's clawed attack easily. He then ducked under the kick and lashed out with his foot towards the man's groin hoping to drop him quickly. The man stumbled back a little bit and then laughed insanely as he glared at the boy. Ranma swore as he glared at the blonde man. "He's wearing a freakin cup!" He growled. Vega didn't give a lot of time between attacks and jumped towards Ranma. Ranma smiled and jumped straight up to meet him in the air.   
  


Back in the crowd Ken stared surprised as he watched the fight between the pair. He knew Ranma fairly well now, he had been training him in the Hadou and his master's school of martial arts for a week now. Unfortunately he recognized the blonde man in the ring as well. "VEGA!" He said shocked. *I thought... I thought he was...* Ken couldn't believe his eyes. He and Ryu used to travel a lot, looking to enhance their skills in the martial arts. Unfortunately they had gotten involved with a secret terrorist organization called shadow law, which was run by a maniacal mad man named M. Bison. They had also met Vega in Spain during their travels, he was a bull fighter but was also a mad man himself, who was associated with Bison. They had fought later on in a nightclub but Ken had inadvertently killed the man.   
  


What he was watching, fighting one of his friends, was a ghost.   
  


Ranma kicked Vega to the other side of the ring and the man landed on his feet lightly, avoiding all injury. "I'm going to enjoy slaughtering you Ranma!" Vega said madly. "I'm going to enjoy your three beautiful friends even more!" he said as he looked over to his friends in the crowd.   
  


Ranma growled. "What the hell's wrong with you? This is just a street fight! Now you had to go and make it personal!" Ranma ran towards Vega and slashed at his face with the single adamantium claw that he had extended. Vega blocked with his own claws but Ranma's passed right through them like they were nothing but butter. Vega managed to get out of the way of the attack but Ranma didn't stop and kept swinging the single clawed fist at the former matador. Vega almost panicked but he managed to catch Ranma's clawed hand, efficiently stopping it. A muffled laugh escaped from Vega's mask as he glared at Ranma. Ranma swung his fist towards Vegan but the man caught it before it could connect.   
  


Ranma smirked at him. "You think I only have _one_ set of claws?" Vega moved his head back but he was too late and the claws from Ranma's other fist shot out from between his knuckles.   
  


Vega's Mask was torn off his face and blood dripped to the floor from the large wound on his face. Ranma jumped back, expecting, and hoping, that Vega would retaliate in anger so that he could beat the tar out of him some more. Now that Vega's mask was off, his face was revealed, he was handsome, _very_ handsome. Some might say he was too handsome, that no girl would be able to resist his charms. Vega's eyes were wide with absolute horror as he clutched the three long gaping slices in his face that ran from his ear to his mouth.   
  


"Never threaten my friends pretty boy!" Ranma taunted hoping that he would attack. Vega just stared at the floor holding the wound.   
  


"My...My face. You... you ruined... my beautiful face." Vega stared at Ranma and only saw a smiling teenage boy with two sets of claws sprouting from his knuckles. One of the claws dripping with crimson blood. "YOU'VE RUINED MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!!!!" Vega smiled insanely and laughed, a deep low chuckling that escalated into a higher pitched fit of mad laughter. He then dropped his hand and looked Ranma in the eyes deeply, and full of hate. "It doesn't matter anymore! Even now I'll be back and you. Will. Die!" He said seriously.   
  


Vega launched himself at Ranma and prepared to attack. Ranma launched forward himself and dug both sets of claw into Vega's mid section. Ranma made sure that the wounds weren't fatal and Vega fell to the ground laughing maniacally.   
  


In the crowds Ken frowned as he watched Vega fight. "Something's wrong." Ken stated. Nikki looked up at Ken noticing that he had said something.   
  


"What is it Ken?" She asked concerned.   
  


"Well for starters. Vega should be DEAD! He was killed a while back in a desperate fight against one of my friends. He's acting very strangely though. Normally any injury to his face would make him sloppy and careless. He hides it behind that mask to preserve it's condition. When I hit him in the face he became virtually useless in a fight."   
  


Nikki looked confused and scared at the same time. "Dead!?" She asked. She turned her attention back to the fight and held a hand to her mouth in worry for Ranma's safety.   
  


**************   
  


Ranma stumbled backwards towards the ring's edge, he had three large cuts on his stomach that were quite deep, they would have been fatal on an ordinary human being. Vega was laughing maniacally as he watched Ranma, waiting for him to drop to the ring dead. Ranma stared back at the man warily.   
  


"Jesus! He's actually going for the kill." Ranma looked down at himself and noticed that the wound was starting to close. It felt like hell but he was a martial artist, he'd endure. When he looked up at the Blonde haired fighter, the man was licking the blood off of what was left of his claws. Ranma frowned. ""You're trying to kill me."   
  


Vega looked surprised when Ranma didn't fall down dead, choking on his own blood. Ranma ran towards the man, both sets of claws extended, the wound healing completely in mid run. Vega tried to block and dodge the blows but Ranma thrust forward and slashed with his claws catching Vega in the throat.   
  


"Do unto others ass-hole." Ranma said angrily. Vega gurgled on his blood as it poured from his neck and fell to his knees. His eyes shut and he fell forward face first onto the ground. Ranma wiped the small beads of sweat off of his forehead and stared at the crowd... they were all silent.   
  


Ranma pulled his claws into his arm and walked out of the ring towards his friends.   
  


*************   
  


Chun-Li sighed as she leaned back in her office looking over some files that were displayed on her computer screen. It wasn't really important stuff. Smaller time criminals. "This is boring." She muttered .   
  


A Caucasian man with slicked back blonde hair walked into her office He was wearing a green Jacket over a black shirt and had baggy dark brown pants on. Chun-Li thanked god in her head for the distraction as an excuse for a temporary break from the dull files. "Hey Chun-Li What'cha working on?" he asked. Chun-Li sighed again.   
  


"Nothing big Wallace. Just finishing the paper work on our last couple of cases."   
  


Wallace chuckled and looked at the screen on her desk mockingly checking to make sure. "Sure your not looking up pictures of mysterious men?" He asked winking at her for a moment.   
  


Chun-Li blushed and turned her head away from him. "Drop dead Wallace. Shadow law's dead and I don't need to look up anything on them. They're not coming back. Bison's dead."   
  


Wallace nodded. But smirked seeing how flustered she got at the mention of that certain somebody. Apparently Chun-Li had traveled with this guy Ryu a few years back before joining the force here in Tokyo. They had gotten involved in street fights around the world and then gotten into a mess with M. Bison and the Terrorist group he ran called Shadow law.(see Street Fighter II V) They'd moved away for about a year with no contact between them and then Shadow law showed up again, Chun-Li then got in a fight with one of Bison's flunkies called Vega and nearly gotten killed.(Street Fighter II the movie) "Sorry about that." Wallace said apologetically. "I'm just playing with..." Wallace got cut off by the phone, which was currently ringing on Chun-Li's desk.   
  


Chun-Li moved to answer it. "Hello?"   
  


The voice on the other end was serious and had a tinge of worry in his voice. "Hello Chun- Li." came the voice. Chun-Li recognized it immediately and sounded surprised and worried to hear the voice as she realized who it was.   
  


"Ken!"   
  


"Yeah." Came Ken's voice from the other line. "I think there's a problem."   
  


Chun-Li frantically struggled to get a pen from her desk drawer. "Ken!? What's the matter? Is it something about Ryu? Where are you?"   
  


"I'm currently in the US. I just came back from a street fighting tournament where a friend of mine just fought Vega." Chun-Li became very pale as she heard this.   
  


"That...that can't be." she said shocked as she stared at the wall frozen in utter disbelief. "I killed him... he's dead."   
  


Ken nodded on the other line, a motion that the policewoman couldn't see. "I know. That's what I was thinking when I saw him. Maybe he survived the fall. Maybe he lived." He suggested.   
  


Chun-Li shook her head. "No. That's impossible, that was at least ten stories high. No one could survive that kind of fall." Chun-Li paused for a second. "Do you think that Shadow Law is back?" She asked.   
  


Ken paused contemplating that. "I don't know. I just phoned you to inform you of this. You might want to look into it."   
  


"Who won the fight? Who's your friend? I can look up his or her file on the database here."   
  


Ken thought about that for a second. "You think you could find some info on him?"   
  


Chun-Li brightened up. "Yeah of course! We've got the best computer equipment in the world."   
  


"His name is Ranma Saotome. He killed Vega... again. He has a really bad case of amnesia and all he remembers about himself is his name."   
  


"Uh huh?" Chun-Li muttered as she opened up a program on her computer typing in the name. A file came up soon after with a picture of a young boy, with black hair and a pigtail. "Here it is..." She said proudly as she looked over the picture. "Wow this kid's young." She muttered.   
  


"What do you got?" Ken asked, anxious to hear something about his new friend. "He's only about a year younger than me."   
  


Chun-Li gasped as she scanned over the file. "He's been dead for a long time! Apparently he was mauled by wild animals and died at a very young age. This is strange, what's with all these ghosts showing up?"   
  


Ken sighed. "I haven't a clue. But it's freaking me out now."   
  


Chun-Li smiled. "It's good to hear from you again Ken. Thanks for the info."   
  


"Anytime." Ken replied before hanging up.   
  


Ken stared at the floor after hanging up the phone. *What the HELL is going on here!?* he thought to himself. *First Vega shows up, and he's been dead for a while now, then I find out that Ranma actually died when he was just a little kid.* Ken paused in his thoughts and looked over to the room that he and Ranma where staying at. *Maybe he's not really Ranma Saotome.* He wondered. Ken shrugged and walked towards the room. He looked down at his expensive Rolex that was wrapped around his wrist and smiled. "Just about time for our daily lesson." He muttered as he reached for the door.   
  


Ranma smiled as Ken walked into the room that he and the older teen were sharing as the girls stayed one room over. "Hey Ken. Time for my lesson?" He asked.   
  


Ken nodded. "I'll meet you on the roof in ten minutes. I'm going to go get a snack." Ken then turned back around and left the room looking for a snack machine or convenience store of some kind.   
  


**************   
  


Ranma sat on the roof and stared at the sky. "What am I?" He wondered as he watched the clouds fly by. "Nobody normal heals as fast as I do." He stated to himself. He was currently on the roof of the inn after the fight with Vega he had been wondering if he was even human. Vega had given him a, normally, fatal wound... he should have died right there in that fight. "I need to find answers." Ranma whispered.   
  


Ranma turned his head and noticed Ken had appeared. Ranma stood up and smiled. Good afternoon sensei." Ranma said with a bow.   
  


Ken returned the bow happily. "You're doing surprisingly well for a beginner. It's an honor to teach you." Ken and Ranma sat down on the edge of the roof and just looked at the sky for a moment.   
  


"Do you think I'll ever find Thunder Hawk?" Ranma asked.   
  


Ken nodded. "I'm pretty positive. I've met the man before. He's a good fighter. He uses the same school as you do."   
  


Ranma nodded. "We were taught by the same master. He's on some sort of mission to get our people's homeland back. He's after some dictator named Bison."   
  


Ken froze at the name his friend gave to him. "Are you going after Bison?" He asked Ranma worriedly.   
  


Ranma shook his head. "No. I'm only after my past. I want to know who... and _what_ I am. I know I'm different than normal people. I heal to fast. Even fatal wounds heal in seconds. I... I'm just not sure... if I'm even _human_"   
  


Ken nodded his head. "It's true. You're different. But I'm fairly certain that you are human Ranma. The fact that you heal fast might have something to do with the very past you can't remember." Ken said reassuringly. This got him thinking. *What if Bison is back? He always kept tabs on the street fights around the globe. He may come after Ranma for this healing ability.*   
  


Ken shook the thought out of his head. He was pretty damn sure Bison was dead. "The only thing that seems to have much of an affect on you is chi. I couldn't beat you until I used my Hadou Ken."   
  


"Why do you think that is?" Ranma asked, looking towards his friend and mentor.   
  


Ken shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because it's an unknown force. It's not something that you'd encounter everyday. It's made up of pure life force. It'll knock pretty much anyone down."   
  


Ranma nodded. That seemed to make sense. Chi was basically the most powerful form of technique that a martial artist could use. It made sense. Ranma had never encountered chi before coming to the village, he had no memory of his past life but it seemed like a new experience, even in the village though, the elders only used it for healing. He had never encountered it as a weapon.   
  


Ken stood up and took a bit of distance from his pupil before getting into a martial arts stance. "Let's see what you've learned." He said with a smile. Ranma got up and smirked at the challenge.   
  


**************   
  


The next day. Ranma, Ken, and the three girls that they were traveling walked into the, supposedly, abandoned building that would be housing the fighting tournament. Ken looked surprised to see a T.V. van outside the place and was wondering what was going on, it felt different this time. When they entered the building the tournament had already started. They weren't really interested in how other people's fights went though they all walked over to the board that announced which fighters fought who and when. Ranma looked quickly through the lists of people until he found his name. He looked through the list of people and gasped when he came upon the very last fight.   
  


Ken looked over at the name that Ranma had his finger on and smirked. "Guess we won't have to look too far for T Hawk now eh Ranma?" He asked with a smirk.   
  


Ranma was surprised. He thought it would take a lot longer to find the man. But he was fighting in the second street fight in the US that he came across. "My luck's finally looking up." He said with a smile. He and his friends then wandered into the crowds to watch the fights before they had to go up. The crowds were unusually large for a street fight. Normally it was just a small clique of people who just wanted to see a good ass kicking. The crowd was much more varied in look. Ranma also noted that there were T.V. camera's around the arena. "What's going on?" he wondered.   
  


Ken, having heard Ranma's silent question turned on the younger teen and decided to answer his question for him. He had to yell over the booming crowd though. "Apparently some T.V. stations got wind of these underground fighting tournaments and thought that there was something marketable here. People are getting bored of wrestling and other tame shows. They want something real. It's actually getting popular too, especially in places like Japan and China." Ken chuckled a bit. "I heard that they're actually making action figures of some of the best fighters too."   
  


Ranma looked confused. He had no idea what an action figure was. He really couldn't care less, about this T.V. stuff the only thing that was on his mind now was talking to T. Hawk. Unfortunately he had to fight him first.   
  


Ranma paused his thoughts as he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see a woman, she was in her early thirties, late twenties. She had short cropped brown hair and a grey business suit on, she looked quite out of place in the crowd. "Excuse me sir may I ask your name and alias please?" she asked.   
  


Ranma looked a little confused at the question. "Alias?"   
  


Ken smiled. "Yeah it's kind of like you're 'other name' a name that might represent the way you fight, or your personality." Ken paused for a moment and looked Ranma over. "Like say... since you've got those lethal claws of yours we could call you something like the Claw of Death."   
  


The lady who stood by Ranma smiled and wrote that name down. "Claws of Death it is." She said. She then turned to Ken. "And what's your alias sir?" She asked the older teen in the red ghi.   
  


Ken smiled. "I'm Ken and I think I'll be called. The Red Dragon. He said with a smile."   
  


The lady shook her head. "I'm sorry that one is taken already."   
  


Ken looked a little downtrodden. "Awwww! Okay. How about The Rising Dragon?" The lady shook her head again. Ken got frustrated. "Aww COME ON!! WHAT OTHER NAME COULD I HAVE!?!? RED GUY!?!?"   
  


The lady smiled and wrote something down on the clipboard she was carrying and walked away. "Red Guy it is." She said as she disappeared into the crowd.   
  


Ken tried to stop the woman and get her to change his alias name but it was too late she had written it down and was gone. Nikki, who had watched the whole thing, giggled by Ken's side. "Don't worry Ken." She said reassuringly. "It could have been much worse."   
  


Ken looked at the girl sarcastically. "How could I have a worse fighting name than Red Guy?" He asked irritated at the fact that he was now stuck with, more than likely, the stupidest fighting alias in the entire arena. "You do realize that this is all going to be on national television."   
  


Nikki giggled again. "You know you didn't have to give an alias. You could have just stuck with Ken masters. I heard that a lot of the fighters are." Nikki shrugged. "Oh well. Better luck next time." Nikki then walked off to stand with Jen and Jenna, who were watching the fights.   
  


Ken hung his head. "I've never been so embarrassed." He muttered. Ranma just smiled and turned his attention back towards the fights.   
  


Currently there was a large man in the ring facing off against a smaller girl. The man was about eight feet tall. Ranma didn't even know that people could get that big. The man wore a red wrestling speedo that showed of WAY to much of the man's features. He was covered in brown hair and had a brown Mohawk on the top of his head. He man looked really angry, but also looked incredibly dumb. The girl, Ranma noticed was very beautiful, she was lithe yet muscular and couldn't be any older than seventeen years old. She wore clothing that was kind of a mix between modern clothing and the familiar clothing that his tribe back in Canada wore. She had white streaks of war paint on her face and her bare arms. She had dark tanned skin and her hair was cut short and fell around her shoulders.   
  


The referee signaled for the fight to begin and the large man, who's name was Zangief rushed towards the girl with an animalistic war cry. The girl was in a similar fighting stance to what he himself used but she was very calm when encountering the goliath. When Zangief was upon her she ducked under his arms and slid through his legs. She then did a back flip over the man and landed the heel of her foot into the back of the man's neck. The man stumbled forward and fell to the ground. The girl landed in the middle of the ring gracefully and stayed in a fighting stance.   
  


The goliath looked back to the girl and got to his feet slowly. He ran towards her and tried the same maneuver again. The girl however did not and she moved to the side this time before he could get close enough. She then ducked under another of his fists and kicked the man in the side. Ranma winced as he noticed the girl had picked a very painful and strategic place to hit the man. She didn't stop there however and she grabbed the mans arm, using his forward movement and he clutched his side to flip him easily onto his back. Ranma was surprised yet again when he saw this. Most of the people in the audience gasped as they watched this frail and petite girl whip the giant around like it was no trouble at all. She decided to keep advancing and jumped into the air to land a finishing blow that would knock the man unconscious.   
  


As the girl leapt high into the air, Zangief got up off the ground and jumped to meet her in the air. The man grabbed her and held her tightly so she could not escape his grasp. He then fell to the ground with the girl and slammed her into the ground... HARD!! The crowd gasped as the girl screamed in pain. Ranma felt compelled to do something but he held his ground. The girl struggled to stand up and Zangief stood ominously over the girl. He reached down to picked her up and finish the fight but the moment his hand got close the girl flipped up and kicked him seven times in his forearm as hard as she could before he could even register her movements. Ranma got the feeling that the man was a little... slow.   
  


The man held his arm in pain and stepped back looking at the girl with a bloodlust in his eyes. The girl wasn't where he had last seen her though. She was behind the man and had leapt up onto his back. She reeled back and punched the man a few times in specific nerve clusters that would cause excruciating pain for the man. When he reached up to grab her she leapt forward over the mans hands and kicked him in the face three times before landing on the ground. She held her hands in victory as the man fell to the ground with a humongous crash. The bell rung and the announcers at the side of the ring, who Ranma just noticed, announced the winner and gave their comments on the fight.   
  


The girl's name was Natalia Hawk. Ranma smiled. He already liked the girl.   
  


**************   
  


Ranma smiled as he stepped out onto the ring and the announcer called out his alias over the loud speakers that rang throughout the arena. He was getting used to the name The Claw of Death. It was a little gruesome for his taste but it made sense. It was his last fight of the day and he was up against T. Hawk. He couldn't wait to fight the man. He was a living legend back at the tribe and Ranma was very anxious to see if the man lived up to all the hype the other's gave him.   
  


Ranma was surprised when the man stepped out onto the ring. He was almost as big as Zangief but the man walked with a grace that the grappler didn't. Thunder Hawk had war paint on him very similar to Natalia's only his chest was exposed through the open jacket he wore and his chest had war paint on it as well. His hair was tied back in a loose ponytail and he had a determined expression on his face as he glared at Ranma.   
  


Ranma glared back. He wouldn't use his claws in this fight. He wouldn't use his chi, but he would win. He was determined to win against the older man. Thunder Hawk could see it in Ranma's eyes. The boy had a lot of potential but it had not been brought out. His past teachers had taught all they could teach him. He would surpass his current sensei, Ken, very soon.   
  


The announcer announced Thunder Hawk and then the bell signaling the fight to begin.   
  


Ranma bowed to the larger man and got into the basic fighting pose of his tribe. This fazed T. Hawk a bit and the man pointed at the boy before even thinking about getting into a fighting stance. "Where are you from boy?" He asked, surprised to see a complete stranger using the fighting style of his people. "Who are you?"   
  


Ranma smiled. "My name is Ranma Saotome. Cooling Wind sent me to find you. She says that you might know of something from my past."   
  


T. Hawk stepped back. "C...Cooling Wind?" He said surprised. "Sao...Saotome?" T. Hawk looked over to Natalia Hawk who was watching from the side of the ring. He smiled and got into a fighting stance very similar to Ranma's. "Let's just see how good of a martial artist you are! Son in law."   
  


Ranma's eyes flared open in surprise as T. Hawk stated that last comment and got caught off guard as the man slammed a knee into Ranma's chest. Ranma flew back into a pole and slammed his head off of it. He fell to the ground and got up an instant later. "What do you mean 'son in law'?" Ranma asked as the cut he'd received from hitting the pole healed up instantly. T. Hawk was rubbing his knee in pain. He had hit Ranma right in the ribs... he didn't know that they were laced with the most powerful alloy ever created by man.   
  


"What are you made of?" The larger man asked as he stared at the unscathed Ranma.   
  


Ranma frowned at the man's question. "I don't know." He said sadly. He then looked up to T. Hawk and growled. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN SON IN LAW!!!?" He screamed as he rushed towards the man.   
  


T. Hawk didn't even get a chance to answer as Ranma's fist came upon his stomach like a freight train, knocking the wind out of him and sending him to the other side of the ring. T. Hawk struggled to breath for a moment and then got up. He chuckled and smiled at Ranma. "You want to fight? Fine. We'll talk about this after the tournament." T. Hawk then got up and ran towards Ranma. Ranma ran to meet him head on but the elder Indian jumped high into the air over Ranma's head. The man turned in the air and spread his arms. He glowed yellow for a moment and then dove towards Ranma and slammed into his full force. Ranma fell to the ground but got up instantly. Not even seeming to have been affected by the Diving Hawk technique.   
  


Ranma then ran forward. T. Hawk was a little surprised but he met the boy head on. They exchanged many punches and kicks but T, Hawk was the only one that was really feeling their effects. Every time T. Hawk hit Ranma the boy healed instantly and didn't slow down. T. Hawk was feeling fatigue though after fighting all day in the tournament and he was getting sluggish. Ranma uppercut the man and he was sent crashing to the floor. Ranma stood ready for the man but he just lay on the floor smiling.   
  


"Oh yes. You're VERY worthy of my daughter." He said as the referee counted him out.   
  


Ranma looked confused. Why wasn't T. Hawk continuing their fight? Ranma knew that the man could take more. He knew for a FACT that he could dish out a LOT more too. Ranma sighed and put his arms down. The ref declared Ranma the winner and he walked out of the ring to meet with his friends. He would talk to Thunder Hawk later.   
  


*************   
  


Ken frowned as he stood in the ring across from his opponent. Who was laughing really hard. "You. You call yourself Red Guy!?!?" He asked before bursting out into laughter again. "That's gotta be the STUPIDEST NAME I'VE EVER HEARD!!" He shouted before bursting out laughing again. " Why didn't you call you self The Red Baron!? HA HA!! Or, or..."   
  


"SHORYU KEEEEEN!!!!!"   
  


The man who was facing off against Ken fell to the ground unconscious as Ken landed with a fiery expression on his face. "If I EVER find that woman again!" He muttered to himself, glancing around hoping to catch a glimpse of the woman who had written him down as Red Guy. All he saw was a large crowd filled with laughter. His thoughts turned dark as he was announced the winner for the third time in a row.   
  


*************   
  


After the tournament was over Ken, Ranma and the girls all met by the ringside. Ranma and Ken had both won against all of their opponents. The place was mostly empty now save for a few people that wanted autographs and such. Since they were all on T.V. that made them all stars in the public eye. Even Ranma had signed a few autographs.   
  


Ranma felt a presence behind him and turned around. Thunder Hawk and Natalia Hawk were standing before him. Both of them were smiling. Now that he saw the both of them together he could see a very strong resemblance between them. They were obviously family. "T. Hawk." Ranma said in neutral, monotone, unemotional voice.   
  


T. Hawk suddenly and unexpectedly grabbed Ranma in a hug. "SON IN LAW!!!" He cried happily as he picked the boy up. And shook him around a bit.   
  


Ranma looked confused. "Thunder Hawk! WOULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME!?!?!?!" He screamed as he was thrown around like a rag doll.   
  


T. Hawk smiled and set Ranma down. "Of course son." He then took a deep breath and put on a serious face. "I'll start from the beginning. I had left on my journey and had traveled the globe looking for M. Bison. The man who had forced out people from our homeland. I was currently in China with my three year old daughter..."   
  


Flashback!!!   
  


T Hawk sat in an empty lot with his daughter. He had a bottle of mashed food and was feeding the girl while he waited on his food to cook. He was a big man and traveled on foot so he needed a substantial amount of food. He was cooking an entire pan of Sukiyaki in the residential district that he was in. It was a small stove that he had so it had cooked very slowly. It had just finished and he set his daughter aside so that he could eat his own meal. Just as he was about to bite into the piece of beef that was on his fork a voice called out from nearby him.   
  


"Excuse me sir... I am a traveling martial artist." Came the voice of a balding man with a large back pack. The man was also holding the hand of a three or so year old little boy. "I have no money and me and my son need to eat. Could you spare us some of your delicious smelling Sukiyaki?" He asked as he eyed the food hungrily.   
  


Thunder Hawk, being the generous person that he was, accepted but he needed some sort of compensation for his generosity. "What do you have to offer me in return for this meal?" He asked in flawless Japanese.   
  


The bald man pushed his son forward. "I would be honored if you would consider engaging your lovely daughter to my son here. I am Genma Saotome and this is my son Ranma. I am teaching him to be the greatest martial artist there ever was!"   
  


T. Hawk looked skeptical but it would be hard for his little girl to ever find a man worthy of her hand while traveling on the road. This man seemed honorable and he smiled. "Very well Mr. Saotome." He said. He then gave Genma the Sukiyaki and the man and his son devoured the meal. T. Hawk got Genma to sign a formal marriage contract and then both of them went on their ways.   
  


Present!!!   
  


T. Hawk smiled as he put his arm around Ranma's shoulders affectionately. "I always knew Genma would honor his promise." He said.   
  


"Do you know where I can find my father?" Ranma asked.   
  


Thunder Hawk looked thoughtful for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "I assumed that he was with you. Why? Are you here on your own?" He asked.   
  


Ranma nodded. "I don't have any memory of my past, save for my name. I'm trying to find out who I am. Cooling Wind told me that you could help me." Ranma looked sad.   
  


Thunder Hawk smiled. "Well I know that he was a Japanese man. The most likely place you would find him would be in Japan."   
  


Ranma looked confused. "Where's Japan?"   
  


Ken chose to answer his friend this time. "Japan's on the other side of the world Ranma." He said "We'd have to take a plane to get there." T. Hawk smiled.   
  


"Well not all is bad. Now you've got a beautiful fiancé to accompany you." He said as he put his hands on Natalia's shoulders. "This is my daughter Natalia. Your future bride. Hopefully near future." He said.   
  


Natalia glared at her father. "DAD!! You're embarrassing me!" She said angrily.   
  


Ranma looked confused. "What's a fiancé?" He asked.   
  


TBC   
  


**************   
  


Author's notes: {Okay you hate me. This one's not as long as the others but it explains a lot and sets a few events in motion. Besides: I thought that was a good point to end it. Remember Ranma's memories have been ERASED!! All he remembers is his name. His fear. And his martial arts. All that he really knows is what he learned in T. Hawk's village. I'll have some stuff in the next chapter that'll leave you saying "What the hell is going on here?" or at least I hope so. What's with Vega coming back from the dead so suddenly? That's a little bit different eh? Yeah I'm Canadian. How'd you guess eh? Anyway. Now he's got his firs fiancé. And he has NO idea how many others he's got. Heh Heh! I'm gonna be MEAN!! BWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!! Yeah well expect to see Ranma find out some of his past in the next chapter. Until then. Ciao!!!}   
  


Morden Night: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com 

  
  


Feel the power of the Night Warrior!! 


	5. Genma Saotome Where Art Though

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Adamantium Rage   
  


Chapter 05   
  


Genma Saotome Where Art Though   
  


Ranma frowned as he received a hug from Nikki, Jen, and Jenna. "We're gonna miss you Ranma." Said Jenna. "I hope you find out your past." She said with tears in her eyes.   
  


Ranma smiled. And held up a small package. "I'm gonna miss you but I'll always remember you with these pictures you gave me." He said.   
  


Jen blushed and pointed to the small yellow envelope that Ranma was holding up. "You haven't looked at them yet have you?" She asked.   
  


"No." Ranma said. "You told me to wait until I was in Japan."   
  


Jen gave out a small sigh of relief. "Good." Nikki and Jenna had similar expressions on their faces. Ranma was really confused as to why they were all acting so strange.   
  


"If we could we'd come with you guys to Japan." Nikki said. "But we've been on this road trip long enough and have to get my dads car back to him before he sends a search party."   
  


Ranma shrugged. "Oh well. I'll write you guys once in a while." The girls got all teary eyed and then leaned in and all gave him a hug again. They then went back to the parking lot where the car rested and drove away. Ranma smiled and turned back towards Ken and Natalia, or rather Natalia. Ranma looked a little confused and looked around for his Friend/sensei. Natalia answered his question before he could voice it.   
  


"Ken went to call a friend in Japan. Said the guy would give us a place to stay while we're looking for your parents. Apparently their best friends but Ken talks about this Ryu guy like all he wants to do is kick his ass."   
  


"Oh." Ranma said, all his answers supplied to him on a silver platter.   
  


Ken came back a moment later running up to the other two. "Hey! Come on lets get our stuff together! Our planes leaving soon, we still gotta get down to the gate." Ranma picked up his traveling bag, Ken grabbed his duffel bag, and Natalia brought along her seven suitcases, which Ken and Ranma helped with mostly. "It must have been real tough on your dad to be a traveling martial artist once you hit puberty huh." Ken said jokingly.   
  


Natalia kicked him in the back of the leg as she walked by, tripping him and making him drop all his and her luggage. She looped her one free arm through Ranma's and they walked towards the gate. "Come on fiancé, lets go meet your parents." She said.   
  


Ken just grumbled irritably as he desperately tried to carry all the suitcases by himself. "Feh, women. None of em can take a joke."   
  


****************   
  


The plane trip there was uneventful and smooth, except for the time when Ranma realized they were air born and freaked out running up and down the plane screaming that it wasn't natural for people to fly. It must have had something to do with the fact that nobody ever told Ranma what a plane was. Other than that it was smooth sailing once they got Ranma calmed down.   
  


When they touched down at the other airport in Japan it was quite odd for Ranma, most of the people they saw were most definitely Japanese. Ranma looked confused. "Why does everyone look so much alike?" He wondered. "Are they all related?" He asked.   
  


Ken shook his head. "Uhhh not quite."   
  


Natalia smiled and began walking with Ranma. "Come on Ranma! She said. Lets go see the sights before going to see Kens friend." With that she dragged her fiancé through the thick crowd of people.   
  


Ken stood there just watching them disappear and then remembered why they were waiting in this particular spot. They were waiting for all of their luggage which was just now coming down the ramp. Ken groaned and with the skill of only a master martial artist managed to grab onto every suitcase and backpack that the group of three owned.   
  


Once he got all of the luggage, including a duffle bag strap in his mouth, he went looking for the pair to get them to help him. He then remembered that he gave them the address of the shrine where Ryu was. He doubled his efforts but couldn't seem to find them amongst the crowds of tourists, returning tourists, and leaving and returning businessmen.   
  


Kens muffled scream rang throughout the airport.   
  


**************   
  


Natalia and Ranma marveled at downtown Tokyo it was quite a spectacular place. Tokyo tower, all the shrines, the food, the people, everything was so different, and new, and fantastic. They couldn't take it all in, in a single day.   
  


The trip back to the shrine where they were supposed to be staying was quite a hike, but Ranma and Natalia were very charismatic young martial artists so it wasn't a horrible problem. Ranma was just glad that he didn't have to carry all that luggage there.   
  


They were quite tired when they reached the shrine which was on the top of a very large hill. The stairs seemed to last forever. Ranma smiled as he reached the top, where they were met by a kind elderly old man. It was dark out so they couldn't really make out any of his extinguishing characteristic until they got close to him. He was quite a pleasant old man with an endless smile plastered to his elderly features.   
  


"Why hello there!" He said with a little chuckle. "You must be Kens friends. It's quite late. We were worried that you wouldn't make it." The old man then turned around and motioned for Ranma and Natalia to follow him. "Come on. Ryu is waiting for you. He doesn't get very many visitors and Ken's really the only one who ever visits him anymore. That pretty Chun Li girl stopped after she got her promotion at Interpol. It's to bad." He mused. "She was a very nice girl. Humph! She was a good fighter too, she wasn't a pushover in any sense of the word." The old man then led the two into the house where Ryu was standing in a loose black muscle shirt and a pair of relatively tight blue jeans that were a little faded.   
  


Ranma walked towards the man and shook his hand. "Hi I'm Ranma Saotome. I take it Kens here already?"   
  


Ryu smirked lightly. "He fell asleep the moment he walked into the dojo. He had to carry all of your luggage, the poor guy." Ranma and Natalia felt a little pang of guilt at that little revelation. " I have to admit," Ryu continued, "I haven't heard very much about you at all from Ken. If I hadn't bugged him about it over the phone he wouldn't have even told me your names."   
  


Ryu then turned to Natalia and offered her his hand. "And you must be Natalia, Ranma's fiancé."   
  


Natalia nodded her affirmation. "It was an arranged marriage but I have nothing but trust for my fathers actions. Your English is quite good. I take it you picked it up off of Mr. Masters?" She asked.   
  


Ryu let go of her hand and put his hands in his pockets. "Yeah actually we grew up together. We've known each other our entire lives."   
  


Natalia rolled her eyes. "That must have been fun." She said sarcastically.   
  


"You seem to be a powerful fighter Ryu I can feel it in your aura." Ranma said. Giving Ryu the once over.   
  


Ryu smiled realizing that Ranma too was a martial artist. "Maybe we could spar some time tomorrow in the dojo." Ryu offered. "I'd like to see how Ken's teaching has been faring you. But first I think you two should get some rest. I have a guest room set up for you if you'll just follow me." Ranma and Natalia followed Ryu through the house and he gave them the generalized tour. Bathrooms, kitchen, upstairs, his room and finally the guest room.   
  


Ranma smiled and entered the room. "Where's Natalia going to sleep?" Ranma wondered. Ryu looked confused. So did Ranma. "Well?"   
  


Ryu shrugged. "We only have one guest bedroom, and Ken's room. We figured you two wouldn't mind sharing a room since your engaged. It's not a problem is it?"   
  


Ranma shook his head. "No I guess it's not. Thank you Ryu."   
  


Ryu smiled and closed the door on the both of them. "Goodnight you two." He said before heading off to his own room.   
  


Ranma's heart began to beat faster for an unknown reason to himself. He didn't know Natalia too well but he was fairly confidant that she was a good person. Ranma had no idea what the problem was, he'd slept beside her on the plane so why was he nervous now?   
  


Natalia sighed and moved towards Ranma. "No time like the present huh?" She asked Ranma.   
  


Ranma looked extremely confused at her statement and for some reason a nervous shiver ran up his spine when she came closer to him. Ranma looked worried as Natalia ran her hands along his chest lightly and pressed herself up against him. "W...What are you talking about?" Ranma asked her, his face started to feel all tingly.   
  


Natalia smiled and leaned closer to Ranma still. "We're going to have to do it at some point Ranma, we'll be married soon enough and it'll happen sooner or later. I figure this should be a good way for us to connect." Natalia accented that last word by running her hand down Ranma's back and grabbing his butt.   
  


Before Ranma could say another word Natalia leaned in close and kissed Ranma on the lips. Ranma was surprised at first but he leaned into the kiss and returned it with gusto. Ranma remembered a time back in the village where one of the girls had taken a liking to him and taught him to kiss. He quickly banished the memory and started thinking in the now. The clothes on the two teens began to peel off and hit the floor, Ranma began to let his mind drift and began to let his animal instincts take over his body which, now that it was close to the naked female, needed it... badly.   
  


*****************   
  


Ranma awoke with a yawn the next morning. His body felt completely relaxed he threw the sheets off of himself climbed over the beds other occupant, out of bed and stretched. He picked up his clothes and put them on anxious to start a new day of his life with a smile. Ranma Saotome was virtually skipping down the halls to the bathroom.   
  


Ranma came downstairs after his morning preparations and smiled warmly as he greeted Ryu who was busy in the kitchen cooking breakfast for his guests once they were awake. "Good morning Ryu. I hope you haven't forgotten about that sparring session you promised me today." He said as he lightly taped the man on the shoulder with his fist.   
  


Ryu looked a little surprised at Ranmas perkiness in the morning but quickly composed himself and shook his head. "Uhh no, we're still on for a spar... sure."   
  


Ranma smiled and skipped over to the table where they would be eating and sat down. He noticed Ken come into the room and nodded to him. "Hey Ken! Good morning. Did you sleep okay? I hope the luggage wasn't too much of a problem."   
  


Ken looked like hell. He was slouching as he walked into the room and had huge bags under his eyes. He looked over to Ranma and just grumbled something before flopping down at his place at the table. Ken made a pained face and then audibly cracked his stiff neck, trying to make it feel a little better. "I feel like heeeeeeeell!" Ken groaned as he let his head fall to the table with a loud thump.   
  


Ranma seemed oblivious to his sensei's pain and just continued smiling. Ranma looked around impatiently and then looked to Ryu. "Hey Ryu!" Ranma called out to the martial arts master. "Have you noticed what's been happening to the street fighting tournaments lately?" He asked desperate for some conversation.   
  


Ryu nodded, not taking his eyes off of the breakfast that he was making. "Yeah. I earn most of my money in those street fighting tournaments, they gave me the alias The White Fury."   
  


Ken groaned again. "Damn it! Even Ryu got a better name than me!" He mumbled from his place on the table.   
  


Ryu smiled. "Ken got called 'Red Guy'. Everyone's been making fun of him for it." Ranma stated. "I was called the Claws of death."   
  


Ryu looked confused. "Claws of death?" He asked. "Why are you called that?"   
  


Ranma was still smiling. "Cause I've got claws."   
  


Ryu nodded. "Okay that makes sense. Where are your claws?"   
  


SNIKT! Ranma unleashed both sets of adamantium claws. "Right here." He said.   
  


Ryu turned around and his eyes widened when he saw the metal claws that were coming out from between his knuckles. "Oh." He said simply.   
  


Ranma smiled and looked at his claws, he then began pulling them in and out of his arm over and over again. With nothing better to do until breakfast and nothing more he could think of to talk about other than his experience last night. He had to keep his mind occupied. He could'nt stop thinking of the sensuous and erotic feelings that were elicited last night from him with Natalia. He felt like a whole new man.   
  


Ranma couldn't help but wish that someone had told him about sex earlier, if he had known he would have gotten a fiancé much, much earlier. Ranma's world just got brighter when Natalia came down the stairs into the dining room. Her very presence filled him with a feeling that he couldn't describe. Ranma pulled in his claws and bounded over to the, only half awake, girl. He then embraced her in a soft loving hug. "Good morning Natalia!" Ranma said just before he leaned in and kissed her on the lips.   
  


Ken looked at the scene and quickly put two and two together. "That lucky little punk." He muttered. Ryu wasn't paying attention.   
  


Ranma then held Natalia out at arms length and examined her from head to toe. She was wearing a tight blue jeans, a t-shirt depicting the South Park character Kenny getting killed in several different ways, and her hair was tied back in a short ponytail to hide the fact that it was all frizzy and mussed up. "You are the most beautiful girl in the world." Ranma said sincerely, he then rushed back to his seat and patted the spot beside him.   
  


Natalia looked at Ranma, finally noticed his perkiness, and then frowned. "How the hell could you be so... lively after... last night."   
  


Ranma just smiled. "I'm happy!" He stated, not able to control his giddy emotions. Ryu brought breakfast to the table moments later and sat down. Natalia walked over to Ranma and sat down beside him as he had offered moments before.   
  


Breakfast was uneventful and immediately after Ryu looked up to Ranma and smiled. "Ranma would you like to spar with me?" He asked in a rather unexcited tone.   
  


Ranma perked up even more. He felt the need to get some of his excitement out of his system. Ranma jumped up and away from the table. "Of course!" he answered.   
  


******************   
  


Ryu awoke about three hours later. "What the?" he said trying to get up to a sitting position. Ken who was sitting right next to his friends bed stopped him and eased him back down gently onto the bed.   
  


"Easy buddy." Ken said, with a little bit of worry in his voice.   
  


Ryu complied and lay down. "What... What happened?" He asked, just staring up at the ceiling.   
  


Ken looked hesitant to answer the question. "Weeeeell, to put it lightly Ranma defeated you in your sparring match." He said. He then smiled. "To put it brutally honest... Ranma kicked your ass."   
  


Ryu smiled and then coughed. "How? I thought you were teaching him." He said in a weakened voice.   
  


Ken leaned back in the chair. "He's already mastered one or two forms of martial arts, my teachings been just icing on the cake. He knocked you out on the fifteenth strike, that's including kicks."   
  


"How could anyone hit so hard?" Ryu wondered, remembering back to the first bit of their fight. "It felt like getting hit by a car every time he punched me." He said, trying to convey a message of how much it hurt.   
  


Ken chuckled. "Heh, I'm still recovering from my first fight with the kid, I don't really put on but the kids build like a brick house."   
  


Ryu just groaned and rubbed his chest where his ribs took a beating. "How long have I been out of it?"   
  


Ken looked at his watch. "About three hours." Ken smiled and stood up. "I know you heal fast Ryu, so rest up here for a while and then we'll all go out looking for Ranma's parents. I found out about a street fighting competition that's going on downtown Japan and figured we could stop there and pull in some cash." He added.   
  


Ryu looked towards his friend with a look of confusion. "Why do you need money?"   
  


Ken smiled. "I don't. I just want to test my skills against the fighters of Japan. The U.S. was kind of lacking in competition."   
  


Ryu smiled and Ken left the brown haired martial artists room.   
  


**************   
  


Four hours later Ryu came out of his room. He was still a little groggy but he was feeling almost as good as normal. He had sped up the process of his healing using a form of the Hado, but he didn't use it long enough to heal himself completely. Ranma, Ken, and Natalia were waiting for him in the front hall. "Ready to go buddy?" Ken asked Ryu as he entered the area.   
  


Ryu nodded. "Where are we going to go first?"   
  


Ken smiled. "Straight to Ranma's house." Ken said. " It's not too hard to look up an individual in Japan once you know their name. Ranma's Parents are living in The Juuban district of Tokyo."   
  


Ryu smiled. "That's good, where's the Street Fighting tournament?" He asked.   
  


"Just follow me. I know exactly where it is."   
  


Ken then left Ryus house, followed by Ryu and then Ranma and Natalia who walked hand in hand.   
  


*****************   
  


Genma Saotome sighed as he returned to his Juuban home after a long hard days work at the office. He had given up his Martial arts ways a long time ago. Every thing that was even related to violence or fighting reminded him of the art, which then reminded him of his lost son Ranma. It depressed him too because his daughter showed so much promise in the art, he could have made her a great fighter and forgotten about Ranma but Nodoka wouldn't let him. He smirked inside at that, she seemed to be on that path by herself any ways. She was fighting with her friends all the time, playing video games that included fighting, she watched wrestling, and now was completely obsessed with the new street fighting show. She was always begging her mother Nodoka for lessons. "I'm home!" Genma called out, setting his briefcase down and taking off his shoes.   
  


He sighed as his ten year old daughter Nami latched on to him. "What do you want now Nami?" He asked.   
  


Nami stepped back and smiled up at her father. "Well Daddy... I was just watching T.V. today and..." Nami paused for dramatic effect and took a deep breath. "The new Street Fighter action figures JUST came out today!" She said excitedly. "They've got all the fighters, in extreme detail and there's over 30 movable joints on each twelve inch figure."   
  


Genma just looked at her bored out of his mind at the predictable youth. "Are you done yet?" He asked.   
  


Nami nodded. "I want them." She said. "Pleeeeeeasssse!?!?" She begged, putting on puppy dog eyes to persuade her father. "I NEED them for my collection!"   
  


Genma rolled his eyes. "You can get one." Genma put up his hand to stop her from jumping the gun and getting too excited. "BUT! Only one. Any others you'll have to buy yourself." He said matter of factly.   
  


Nami smiled and hugged her father. "Thank you Daddy!" No sooner had she latched on, she took off to wait for her show to come on.   
  


Genma shook his head and chuckled as he took his tie off. "You're a bad influence dear." Came a kind and feminine voice from a short distance away.   
  


Genma looked over to Nodoka and smiled. "Hello dear." He said with a smile as she walked towards him. "I take it she wasn't too much trouble today?" He asked as she slipped her arms around his waist and planted a kiss on his lips.   
  


"She's been putting up posters in her room, and watching reruns of Street Fighter. She's no trouble at all. You're the one that's trouble." She said. "You're a bad influence. She doesn't need to be exposed to this violent material, we've seen what martial arts can do."   
  


"Don't start that again." He said, looking away. He then turned back to his wife and frowned. "She discovered wrestling, and Street Fighting on her own."   
  


Nodoka sighed. "You're right... I guess I'm just looking for someone I can blame. I don't want anything to happen to her like what happened to Ranma."   
  
  
  


"Is supper ready?" Genma asked as he turned away again, now letting go of Nodoka.   
  


Nodoka sighed, seeing that her husband was still unable to open up about their lost son after all this time. "It's almost done." She said. "I'm just finishing."   
  


Genma nodded emotionlessly and left to change out of his work clothes.   
  


Nodoka frowned and lowered her head, leaving to go attend to the meal.   
  


**************   
  


Dinner at the Saotome household was quiet. Nami had a saddened expression on the whole time, realizing that her parents had been fighting. They never yelled or hit each other but they would stop talking for a while once the issue of Ranma came up. She had heard them mention his name before and realized that was what made her parents so sad. She frowned and stabbed at her food.   
  


"So..." Nodoka said, trying to spark some sort of conversation. "How was school today Nam-chan?" She said with a struggling smile.   
  


"Fine." Her daughter replied.   
  


"Uh... Did you do anything interesting today?" Nodoka persisted.   
  


"No."   
  


Everyone's thoughts were interrupted at the sound of the doorbell moments later. Nodoka exhaled deeply, extremely thankful for the distraction. She wiped her mouth on a napkin and set it down as she stood up. "I will answer that." She said. She then moved towards the door and opened it up. There were four people there, a Japanese boy with a long ponytail, and three Caucasians, two males and a female. They were all in their late teens and seemed very physically fit. They also seemed slightly familiar. "Can I do something for you?" Nodoka asked, noting their oddly casual attire.   
  


"We're looking for a man named Saotome Genma." Said the blonde haired man. "Is he here right now?" he wondered.   
  


Nodoka nodded, snapping out of the trance that she just noticed she was in, fixated on the Japanese male's eyes. "Y...Yes, he's my husband, he's currently eating dinner... I'll go get him."   
  


Nodoka motioned for the four people to enter her home and she closed the door behind them. She then bowed slightly and walked off to get Genma. "Honey? There's some people here to see you." She said while bending over.   
  


Genma looked up at his wife. "Who is it?"   
  


Nodoka shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."   
  


Genma, with his newly acquired manners, wiped his mouth on his napkin, set it down and stood up to go answer the door. "What is it you would like?" Genma asked the group.   
  


Ranma looked at the man in shocked recognition. "Pop?" He said weakly.   
  


"Huh?" Genma said, looking at the Oriental boy. Just then the boy stepped forward and hugged the man, quite snugly. Genma looked surprised and eyed the boy carefully once he backed up off of him. "Who are you?" He asked, getting some faint recognition from the boy but not able to place the face.   
  


Ranma composed himself and smiled. "My name is Ranma Saotome... your son."   
  


***************   
  


Soon after everyone present at the Saotome household was sitting around the table. Nodoka had cleared dinner off and put on some tea for their guests. Genma was frowning at Ranma who was looking much happier. "I'm not trying to hurt you father. I am your son Ranma, for the last while I've been seeking you out." Genma didn't speak, he just glared at the fairly young boy, he was having trouble holding onto his anger because the boy was so similar to his dead son.   
  


"The doctors told me you had died." Genma said.   
  


Ranma looked confused. "Doctors? What doctors?"   
  


Genma snorted. "My son Ranma was mauled and was dying, I took him to a hospital here in Juuban but it was too late, the doctors told me that you had died. You couldn't possibly be my son."   
  


"But I AM!" Ranma said. "All I had left was my name when I woke up! That's how I..."   
  


"SHUT UP!!!"   
  


Genma's shout startled everyone in the house into silence. Genma now had tears in his eyes. "My son had an arm and a leg torn right off of his body! People. Don't. Grow. Limbs. BACK!! You are NOT my son and I will not take this mental harassment from you little punks!"   
  


"Daddy." Nami said trying to get her father to stop yelling.   
  


"QUIET NAMI!!" He yelled. He then looked back to Ranma. "I want you out of my house RIGHT NOW!! AND IF I EVER SEE YOU AROUND HERE AGAIN I WILL NOT HESITATE TO HAVE. YOU. ARRESTED!!!!!"   
  


"GENMA!!" Nodoka yelled. "Stop this." Genma looked over at Nodoka confusedly as she walked over to Ranma. She then took his hand and asked him to stand up. "I know how to find out if he is our son or not." She said.   
  


Nodoka then pulled down Ranma's pants. Ranma balked at this and grabbed onto his boxers just in case she decided to let those drop too. Nodoka kneeled down and lifted the right leg on his boxers up slightly. She then pointed to a little mark on Ranma's leg. It was a birth mark. "There." Nodoka said, pointing to the three small ovals on his leg that were in a triangular pattern. "Our son Ranma had this exact birthmark ever since he was born." She said.   
  


Genma stared at the mark with wide eyes. "Impossible." He whispered.   
  


Nodoka let go of Ranma and turned to Genma. "He is Ranma." She said.   
  


Genma looked up at Ranma who was pulling his pants up. "Ranma?" He asked. Genma stood up and looked at the boy carefully, he looked deep into his deep blue eyes and then reluctantly smiled. "It's a miracle."   
  


Nami got up and ran around the table, she jumped up and hugged Ranma. Ranma was a little surprised by the sudden affection by the girl who was actually his sister. "YAYY!!! I'VE GOT A BROTHER!!" Nami asked. She then stepped back and got a hopeful look in her eyes. "Can I see your claws!?" She asked.   
  


"What?" Ranma asked, confused at the odd request.   
  


"Please! Please! Please! Can I see them?" She asked.   
  


Ranma shrugged and held out one of his hands. All of a sudden he balled that fist and SNIKT! The claw came out. "There you go." Ranma said, smiling. "How did you know that I had claws?" He asked.   
  


Nami smiled. "Oh my god! You really are him! The Claw Of Death is my BIG BROTHER!!" Nami then looked over to Ryu who was silently smiling at the table. "That means you must be The White Fury!" Nami then looked over at Ken who wasn't really paying much attention to Nami. "And you must be RED GUY!!"   
  


Ken cringed at the name and furrowed his eyebrows. "If I ever see that woman again..." He muttered to himself.   
  


Nami's eyes were wide with excitement and looked back and forth between the three older teens. "Wait'll I tell my friends that three of the best street fighters were in my house! And one of them's my brother!!" She said dreamily.   
  


"RANMA!!!"   
  


Ranma turned startled towards Nodoka. "W...What!? What?!" He asked.   
  


Nodoka was pointing at the claw that he still currently had extended. "I will not allow a weapon in my house! Don't you ever bring out those dreadful claws when you are in the house!" She said sternly.   
  


Ranma looked confused. "But they..."   
  


"I don't care!" Nodoka said. "Put them away!" Ranma did as he was told and put his claws away. Nodoka smiled and clapped her hands together. "Now how about I show you to your new room, then you can tell me all about your friends and you time away from home."   
  


Ranma twitched slightly, as did Ryu and Ken. "Is she for real?" The blonde haired man asked.   
  


Ryu shrugged. "She scares me either way."   
  


**********************   
  


Genma smiled as he walked into the kitchen. "My son is alive." He stated, still amazed that he was in such a healthy condition. Genma saw the phone a moment later and about five things went through his mind at once, which was an accomplishment, especially when it came to common sense.   
  


Genma smiled and picked up the phone. He dialed in a number and smiled. It rang for a few moments and then a female voice picked up on the other end. "Can I speak to Soun Tendo please?" Genma asked. "Thank you."   
  


***************   
  


Ranma stared at the empty room and smiled. "So this is my old room?" Ranma asked.   
  


Nodoka shook her head. "No we gave your old room to your sister Nami. This is the guest room." Nodoka looked up slightly at Ranma questioningly. "You will be staying with us right?" She asked.   
  


Ranma nodded. "Yes... but I have to ask... would it be all right if Natalia stayed here too?" He asked.   
  


Nodoka looked confused. "The pretty girl with the tatoos?" she wondered. Ranma nodded. "Hy do you want her to stay with us?" She asked.   
  


Ranma smiled. "She's my fiancé."   
  


Nodoka's eyes bugged out of her head at the words. "F...Fiancé?" She said, startled by the sudden announcment.   
  


Ranma nodded. "I met her in America while I was down there. She could stay in my room with me right?" Ranma asked. "I'm sure she wouldn't be a problem."   
  


"F.. Fiancé. My son is getting married." Nodoka said. "I've never been so happy."   
  


*************   
  


Nami sat at the table looking at Ken and Ryu with amorous eyes, she then looked at Ken and frowned. "Couldn't you have come up with a better name than Red Guy?" She asked.   
  


Ken let his head fall onto the table.   
  


Ryu smiled at Nami after snickering at Ken. "So...Nami. You know a lot about Street Fighting?" He asked.   
  


Nami looked away. "Weeeell... I don't know how to fight but I really like to watch the show. I've got the entire card collection, I've taped every show, I know all the stats for the fighters, I've got a lot of posters, I've got the Street Fighter bed sheets, I've got a street fighter mouse pad, and I got a bunch of pictures from the Internet."   
  


Ryu nodded. "Uhm... okay. Didn't they only start televising this a moth ago?" he asked.   
  


"I guess you could call me a number one fan." Nami said, blushing slightly. Nami then looked inquisitive. "So... how well do you guys know him? My brother that is." She asked.   
  


Natalia, who had been rather quiet the entire time just smiled. Ken shrugged. "He's kind of a mystery. I met him through the Street Fighting competitions, he was traveling with a couple of girls and was looking for a man named Thunder Hawk. All he knew about himself was his name, and T. Hawk knew a little something that he thought might reunite him with his family." He said.   
  


"Wow!" Nami said. "So it was like a hero's journey to find himself. AND it's got a happy ending. That's so cool!"   
  


"I guess you could say that." Ken said with a shrug.   
  


Just then Genma and Nodoka came into the living area, Genma from the kitchen and Nodoka from upstairs. "RANMA'S GETTING MARRIED!!" They both said simultaneously with glee.   
  


The two parents looked over at one another at the same time confused. "You already knew?" Genma asked Nodoka.   
  


"I don't remember Ranma ever telling you about it." Nodoka countered.   
  


"Telling me what?" Genma asked suspiciously.   
  


"That he and Natalia are engaged." Nodoka said happily.   
  


Genma's jaw dropped, as he stared at his wife. *Oh shit!* he thought darkly.   
  


Nami beamed and looked at Natalia excitedly. "Oh wow! That is SO COOL! You're going to be my sister in law!" Nami then got a lustful look in her eyes as she looked away blankly. "The official web site would pay huge for this info!" she muttered evilly.   
  


Genma sighed and hung his head as everyone celebrated and chatted excitedly. *I'm doomed.*   
  


***************   
  


Author's notes: {Okay, so this chapter was pretty short. The next one will be much longer I promise. I've been neglecting my ongoing series and have been having fun just writing the Self Insertions. Hell I've been getting the most feedback on those so that's what I write.   
  


Just to let the readers know I really take not of ALL feedback. Even if you write something in my guest book I reply and take whatever you say into consideration. I've gotten the most feedback for SI, therefor it has the most chapters. I just got some really positive feedback from Dragon's Bond so I'll be writing a little more of that. And of course here's AR. Not a very long fic but I like it in it's simplicity.   
  


Heavenly Intervention and Ranma In Black(which I can finally write) are what I'll be working on the most. I've got the most ideas for HI and RIB just needs some more stuff. I'm going to study real hard for RIB.   
  


However everything will be slower. I'm working on a comic book for my media arts class and it's professional. I also have the web comic. Sorry to my readers but fan fiction isn't on the very top of my priority list. It's just something I do for fun, feedback, and time wasting. It's good for that.   
  


I hope everyone had a good thanksgiving. Mine was really dull. My family all went to london to visit my grandma, and me and my sister were left home alone cause we were working. We didn't get Turkey for thanksgiving either, we had fajitas... yes my famous homemade fajitas.   
  


Hope you liked the chapter, keep on keeping on.}   
  


Morden Night: mordennight@hotmail.com 

  
  


P.S. Work sucks, all the women there are bitchy... very shitty thanksgiving. 


	6. Good Ol Genma

Adamantium Rage

Chapter 06

Good ol Genma

Akane Tendo sighed dreamily as she put up a new Street Fighter poster on her wall that depicted

a montage of fighters in their various victory poses. She had been watching the show ever since it

had first aired on TV, and needless to say, she was a big fan. She had taped every aired episode

thus far and had already gotten two of the action figures that had just been put out in the stores.

They were of the native to Japan fighters The White Fury, and The Claws of Death. Two of the

best fighters on the show. Some of the only 'real' men, as Akane was often known to say.

Truth be told, after the show had started Akane had, had to reevaluate her own skills in martial

arts after she had seen the show. She had thought of herself as the greatest martial artist in all of

Nerima for a long time but the fighters on the show fought with skill, grace, and power that even

_she_ had to concede to mediocrity. Some of the fighters were even able to use attacks formed from

their chi.

After this self realization of hers she began to train even harder under her father's tutelage

everyday, hoping that one day she too could become a street fighter. Just as Akane finished

putting up her new poster a knock came from her door.

"Come in!" Akane called out.

Just then her sister Nabiki entered her room. She looked up at the poster and the two action

figures that her little sister had just purchased that day. "More Street Fighter stuff?" She then

smirked as she looked to Akane. "Hmmm. I think this is starting to become a bit of an unhealthy

obsession."

Akane rolled her eyes, having heard that many times before already. "What do you want Nabiki?"

She moaned, letting impatience get the better of her.

Nabiki smiled and sat down on Akane's bed. "Dad says we're going to dinner at his friends house

tomorrow. Apparently his long lost son returned and they want to celebrate together and

introduce everyone. Y'know. Blah blah blah."

Akane looked confused. "Dad has friends?"

Nabiki nodded. "Apparently. Anyway he says it's an important dinner and he wanted me to tell

you that if you had any plans for tomorrow then you better break them."

Akane sighed. "What time are we going to go?"

Nabiki smiled. "We'll be leaving around 5:00" She said.

Akane gasped. "No! That's when Street Fighter comes on! I watch it every week! Tell Dad I

can't go." She said.

Nabiki sighed and stood up, heading for the door. "For god's sake Akane. Just tape it and watch

it later. Don't be such a fan girl."

Akane grumbled as she watched Nabiki leave.

Nodoka looked to her husband angrily as they met in the living area where everyone else was.

"What this about Ranma getting married husband?" She asked, knowing full well that Ranma had

not told him of his engagement to Natalia.

The man known as Genma Saotome cowered under his wifes gaze and sweated at the pressure

that was suddenly put upon him. "Uhm. It's just like you said. I just, uh, over heard you two

talking about it. Yeah that's it." Genma stuttered hoping she believed him.

Nodoka, unfortunately for Genma, was not a complete moron like he was. She nodded at his

excuse though and let it go for the moment. "Okay husband."

Genma chuckled and put a hand behind his head. "Well then." He started. "Now that that's all

over with I believe that this is indeed cause for celebration don't you?" He asked his wife.

Nami perked up at that and threw her arms in the air. "YAY! Party!"

Ranma smiled at his kid sisters response.

Nodoka nodded and smiled. "Yes I suppose we've got double the reason to do so. Our son's alive

and well, and engaged to be married."

Genma put his arm around his wifes waist and another one around Ranma's shoulder. "I've

already taken the liberty of inviting some guests."

Nodoka looks skeptical and glared at her husband. "Who exactly did you invite dear husband?"

She asked, her voice laced with venom.

Ganma this time didn't falter. "Soun Tendo and his daughters."

Nodoka looked surprised but in a happy way this time. "Oh my. I haven't seen them since before

you took Ranma on your training trip."

Genma nodded. "They'll be here for dinner tomorrow at 5:00."

Nodoka looked to Ken and Ryu who still sat at the table with Nami. "Would you boys like to

come to dinner tomorrow as well?" She asked.

Ken smiled. "Sure thing Mrs. Saotome."

Ryu gave a small smile and a slight nod of his head. "I would be honored. Saotome-san."

Ken chuckled and then got to his feet, as did Ryu. "Well." Ken stated. "Looks like everything

turned out pretty darn good if you ask me. Guess we'll be on our way and leave the happy family

to their own devices."

Ryu nodded. "Thank you for the tea Saotome-san."

Nodoka smiled. "You two boys come back any time you'd like. I'm forever within your debt."

With that Ryu and Ken left the Saotome household to return to the shrine.

Genma looked confusedly at the girl with the tattoos. "Are you not going to join your friends?"

He asked the girl.

"Oh." Nodoka said. "I'm sorry dear I forgot to mention. Natalia is going to be staying with us

from now on." Genma froze at this statement in dread. Nodoka continued with a radiant smile.

"Since she's Ranma's bride to be I don't see why not."

Genma sighed, seeing that his wife had already made up her mind. He decided to try and dissuade

her anyway. "But where are we going to put her?" He asked dreading the answer. "Ranmas old

room is Namis and Ranma will probably be in the guest room, we don't have any other rooms."

Nodoka waved his concerns off. "They're engaged. There's no harm in them sharing a room."

She said.

Genma gasped. Nodoka caught this and saw it as a sign of disapproval. She frowned as she

recalled his previous statement about Ranma getting married without having heard it from the

horses mouth so to say. She suspected that this disapproval might be connected to that. "I

wouldn't protest this any further if I were you." She whispered into his ear.

Genma gulped and then smiled. "O...of course not No-chan. They are... engaged after all."

Nodoka smiled and turned to her returned son who Genma had long let go of. "Why don't you

get yourself set up in your new room Ranma?" She asked.

Ranma smiled and started towards the stairs. "Yes mother." He stated politely.

Natalia got up from her seated position and walked towards her fiance. "I'll help you." She said

with a lecherous smile.

Genma noticed this and pointed to Nami. "Nami! You help your brother get settled too." He

demanded.

Nami brightened and jumped to follow her new brother and soon to be sister in law who's happy

expression fell a little bit at this. "Okay!" Nami stated happily.

The next day.

Ranma smiled as he sat with Natalia at the table waiting for his mother to finish dinner. Just as he

was snuggling up with his fiancé the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Ranma called out. He then kissed

Natalia and got up to answer the door. "I'll be right back." He stated with a smile.

Natalia smile back and waved him off to get the door. Genma, who had just seen the kiss, fumed

and nearly broke the bowl that he was carrying to the table for his wife.

Ranma smiled as he opened the door. Before him stood a man around his fathers age, he had long

black hair and sported a mustache and a fairly nice black suit. With him were three teenage girls,

one with long brown hair, one with shorter cropped black hair and another with long black hair.

All three of the girls were wearing formal kimonos.

The man before him stepped forward and greeted Ranma warmly in a fatherly embrace. "Ah you

must be Genmas son Ranma." He said. "It's so good to finally meet you my boy."

Ranma blushed slightly at the familiar way the man had greeted him with and quickly dislodged

himself. "It's... ah... good to meet you. You must be Soun Tendo?" Ranma asked.

Soun nodded and gave off a chuckle. "That I am. And these..." he mentioned motioning towards

his daughters. "Are my daughters Akane age 16, Nabiki age 17, and Kasumi age 19. Choose..."

Just then Soun was cut off by the burly form of Genma Saotome who barged past Ranma and

embraced the man. "Soun!" He called out with joy.

"Genma!" Soun mimicked as the two hugged.

"Come inside." Genma said as he ushered the four guests into the house.

"Don't mind if I do." Soun said with a chuckle. The two fathers then entered the house with a

merry little hop in their steps. Both thinking of the exact same thing.

Ranma smiled to the three girls and moved to allow them entry. Akane stopped as she got close

to Ranma and looked carefully at him. "Uhm... I don't mean to be rude or anything..." Akane

started. "But have we met before?" She asked.

She had noticed a striking familiarity with the boy the moment he had opened the door. It had

been nagging her all through his fathers introduction, which she and the other girls found odd

since he had included their ages along with their names in it.

Ranma looked at her thoughtful but then shrugged. "I don't think so."

Nabiki moved up beside her sister and gave her a sinister smile. "Hmmm... looks like someone

has a crush on the new boy." She stated. She then looked the blushing Ranma up and down.

"Can't say I blame you."

Akane glared at her sister annoyed. "Nabiki! I hate boys!" She then turned back to Ranma and

glared at him too. "He's NO exception either! They're all the same! Bunch of PERVERTS!" With

that said Akane stomped her way into the house after her father and eldest sister Kasumi.

Ranma looked a little flustered at the sudden change in the girl's attitude towards him. "What's

the matter with her?" He asked Nabiki.

Nabiki smiled and looped her arm around Ranmas. "Oh don't read too much into it. She's just

uncomfortable around boys what with the ones she has to deal with at school all the time and all."

Ranma just continued to look confused as Nabiki led him into the dining area where the rest of the

family was making with the pleasantries.

Natalia got up from her place at the table and walked over to Ranma with a bit of a frown on her

face as she saw the other girl with her arm linked with his. "Hi." She said venomously. "I'm

Natalia. I'm Ranma's fiance."

Nabiki smirked as she recognized the hint of jealousy in the girl's voice. She was obviously quite

protective of the boy. Nabiki had encountered it a hundred times before, at least, in various

situations. She just smiled though and un-looped her arm. She wasn't interested in Ranma, and

she had nothing against the girl who claimed ownership of the boy. Besides, the girl was quite

obviously a fighter and she didn't need that kind of trouble. "My name's Nabiki." She said back to

the tattoo clad girl. "He's all yours."

Natalia smiled and dragged Ranma back over to where they had been sitting before.

Genma smiled brightly as he had just been introduced to Souns daughters over again. He had met

them several years ago but they had been much younger at that time. Now that they were all

grown up he could see quite clearly that they had grown into fine women. Any man would be

honored to marry any one of them. Kasumi was soft spoken and polite and had a serenity about

her that seemed contagious to the people in her immediate vicinity. Nabiki had a very calculative

look about her but she had a kind heart and would do anything to help and protect her family.

Aken was the one the really caught Genmas eye though. She was attractive, strong, and obviously

had a good amount of martial arts skill, though not nearly as much as Ranma by any measure.

Just then Nami came out of the kitchen where she had previously been helping her mother with

the dinner preparations. "Ah Soun!" He started. "I'd like you to meet my second child Nami."

Genma said to his friend as he pulled his daughter to his side. "She's shown a great interest in the

art and also shows much potential."

Soun smiled and chuckled at the girl. "That's wonderful. I trust you've been training her in

anything goes in Ranmas absense then?" He asked his old friend.

Genmas expression fell a bit. "Er...not quite. After losing Ranma to the art Nodoka had made it

quite clear that I was not allowed to teach her." Genma then brightened up a bit. "But he's fine

now. I don't see why I wouldn't be able to now."

Soun chuckled at this. "Quite right old friend." Soun nodded.

Nami looked up at her father excitedly. "Does this mean I get to learn martial arts now?" She

asked.

Genma smiled. "I don't see why not my dear." He said. "I'll talk to your mother about it tonight."

Nami brightened and hugged her father.

Nodoka looked to the clock as she had put the finishing touches to the meal for the night. It was

5:30; a little late but the guests had arrived on time save for Ken and Ryu. Nodoka began to bring

the various dishes out to the table, she couldn't afford to wait for the boys and have the meal get

cold. With that in mind Nodoka brought them all out to the table one by one and everyone seated

themselves leaving two spaces open for the late boys.

Almost immediately after everyone was seated at the table the doorbell rang. Ranma smiled as he

got up. "I'll get that mother." He stated.

Nodoka nodded and Ranma got up to answer the door. He came back a few minutes later with

Ken and Ryu right behind him, they were both dressed nicely and Ken had a box tied with a fancy

ribbon under his arm.

"Sorry we're late Mrs. Saotome." Ken started as he and his friends sat down.

Nodoka smiled at the blonde haired American boy. "That's quite all right Ken. You're actually

right on time." She turned to the Tendos and decided to make a quick introduction. "This is Ken

Masters and Ryu Hoshi." She then noticed the box that he had brought and asked inquisitively.

"What's that package you have with you?"

Ken smiled and handed it to the woman. "This is a gift I had bought for you. To thank you for

your generous hospitality." He said flashing an award winning smile at her.

Nodoka accepted a package and blushed slightly. "Oh my I hope you don't mind if I set this aside

until after dinner. We don't want things to get cold."

"Not at all."

With pleasantries over with, the Saotomes and their guests said their grace and began their meal.

Akane couldn't help but stare at Ranma, Ken, Ryu, and Natalia. They all looked incredibly

familiar but she just couldn't seem to put her finger on it. She shook her head and decided not to

read too much into it.

Soun smiled as he began to throw questions in Ranmas direction. "So Ranma my boy. Tell us

about yourself. You've been gone for so long, what have you been doing in that time?" He asked.

Nodoka looked curious. "That's right I don't think you've actually told us where you've been.

We were so caught up in the joy of having you back that we never thought to ask where you've

been." She said to her first born.

Ranma blushed a little and smiled. "Well... my first memories are from about last year. I woke up

in Canada without any memory and then was adopted by an Indian tribe. All I really knew was my

name."

"Oh my that's terrible." Kasumi said.

"Canada eh?" Nabiki said with a chuckle. "That's quite a long way from Japan."

"How did you find out how to make it back to your family if you couldn't remember anything?"

Soun asked.

Natalia decided to answer for her fiancé at this question. "My father is the most skilled fighter in

our tribe and he had met with Genma Saotome before on his journeys."

This fact suddenly brought a sweat from Genma. He had thought he'd recognized the tattoos that

the girl sported.

Soun smiled at this. "Ah. So you are from the same Indian tribe then." He said.

Natalia nodded proudly.

Nabiki looked questioningly to Ranma. "How did you manage to fly back to Japan? From what I

understand Indians aren't exactly wealthy."

Ranma smiled as he swallowed his current mouthful of food. "Oh that was the easy part. Once I

started traveling I just fought in street fighting tournaments with Ken, Ryu, and Natalia here." He

said.

Nami smiled brightly as the conversation had come to an area that she was familiar with. "Yup!

My big brother's the Claw of Death!" She stated proudly.

Nodoka frowned at that title. "Such a violent Alias." She muttered.

Before anyone could say any more a voice rang out with a great deal of pitch and excitement.

"YOU'RE THE CLAWS OF DEATH!" Akane almost screamed.

"Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod! I can't believe I'm eating dinner with the claws of

death!" Akane stated as she covered her blushing cheeks. She then looked up to Ken and Ryu and

Natalia. "That means you must be The White Fury! And you're Red Guy! And you're Natalia

Hawk!"

Ken sighed. "If I ever find that woman again..."

"You watch street fighter too?" Nami asked Akane.

"Watch it?" Akane said. "I've recorded every episode ever aired! Oh my god!" Akane then dug

around in her kimono and found her street fighter manga which she had brought with her to read

in case she got too bored. She also pulled out a pen and handed them to Ken who was closest to

her. "Can I have all your autographs please?" She asked with just a bit of desperation in her voice.

Ken smiled and took them. "Sure."

Akane blushed even harder as she looked to Ranma again. "Uhm... Can I see your claws?" She

asked shyly.

Ranma bashfully put a hand behind his head. "Um... I'm not allowed to bring them out in the

house."

Nabiki smiled as she looked Ken, Ranma, Natalia, and Ryu over. "Celebrities huh? Well this night

keeps getting more and more interesting."

Genma and Soun smiled. "Well Akane seems to be getting along with Ranma just fine then

wouldn't you say Tendo?"

"Yes old friend I believe they're hitting it off quite nicely." He replied as they gave each other a

knowing look.

Akane just blushed brightly as She was handed her manga back.

Genma decided that this would be a good time to get it out in the open. "Well I suppose that

there's no better time to say announce this." He said to all present. "Ranma. A long time ago.

Long before you were born me and my friend Soun here made a man to man pact. We swore that

once Ranma came to be of age. He would marry one of the Tendo daughters to unite the schools

of the anything goes."

Nodoka froze at this... then she frowned darkly at her husband. If he had looked in her direction

he would see his own death in her eyes.

Genma however was oblivious and Soun continued the speech after standing up. "My Daughter

Akane, she's 16, Nabiki 17, and Kasumi 19. Pick any one of them and she'll be your bride." He

stated with glee.

"I'LL MARRY HIM!" Akane all but screamed.

Soun looked surprised at this. But smiled nonetheless. "Ha ha! I couldn't have thought of a better

match!"

"Excuse me!" Interjected another voice. "Mr. Saotome have you forgotten that you had already

engaged Ranma to ME?" Natalia asked the fat man irately.

Genma began to sweat. "This is a matter of family honour. I set up this engagement with the

Tendos LONG before you came along!"

"How can you say that?" Natalia demanded as she stood up. "YOU are the one that engaged me

to Ranma! You can't engage him to EVERYBODY!"

Ranma leaned over to his mother and looked confused. "Mother... How many fiances can

someone have?"

"One, son." She said. "Your father is in a lot of trouble."

Outside of the Saotome home a dark figure lurked through the shadows of the outer wall. The

figure had a black full body suit covering him from head to toe. He was a lithe figure but bulked

up a bit with the various padded or armored parts of his suit. Upon his face he wore a mask with

bright red telescopic infra red lenses, and on his hand was a strapped on set of three claws each

one made of adamantium. The black clad man pressed a small button on the side of his mask and

he then miraculously turned invisible. The only thing that could set off that there was even a

person there was a slight shimmer in the air and a light red glow where the eyes were. The man

then leapt to the top of the outer wall and ducked down observing the family and their guests

from above. The dinner table dispersed after a while and the American who was with the mostly

Japanese gathering looked towards the dark clad figures direction with a look of concern. He

wasn't able to see him... but the figure decided to vacate his current location just in case.

The figure noticed the target 'Ranma Saotome' go upstairs with a tattoo clad girl alone and

decided to attempt a capture. He got up once Ken had turned around and ran towards the house

jumping onto the first floor balcony and checking through all the windows until he came across

Ranma again.

Ranma sighed as he entered his room with Natalia. "I'm sorry about that. I'm still not a hundred

percent sure myself what just went on."

Natalia put her hand softly on Ranmas cheek and smiled. "Don't worry about it Ranma. It's not

your fault. You father just seems to be... well I hate to say it but he's an idiot."

Ranma held onto the hand she had placed upon him and smiled. "He's still my father, and it was a

sacred pact between him and Mr. Tendo he says."

Natalia shook her head. "Doesn't matter. You were my fiancé first and besides... We've already...

done things that would make most of those girls blush." She said.

Ranma smiled and blushed as he was quite aware of what it was she was talking about. Just then

Ranma heard a crack and felt a small pain in his back. "Ow. What the." He reached behind him

and pulled out what looked like a dart of some sort. "What the heck is..."

CRASH!

Just then the dark clad figure burst through the window still partially invisible. "Ranma Saotome."

He said in a high pitched voice. "My names Vega. You're coming with me." He said.

"Vega?" Ranma said confused. "I killed you!"

"He's not going anywhere?" Natalia yelled at the man as she took up a stance.

Just then three more darts came flying towards the pair. Two towards Ranma and one towards

Natalia. All three hit. Natalia tried to stay up but quickly fell to the floor unconscious.

"NATALIA!" Ranma called out in worry as he pulled the darts out of himself and stumbled to

see if she had a pulse. She did and he stood up angrily and stared towards the shimmer. "WHAT

DID YOU DO?"

The figure then turned off his cloaking device and dropped his tranquilizer gun. "That healing

power of yours is quite potent. You're barely stumbling after 3 hits with a very potent

tranquilizer."

Ranma rushed towards the figure and tried to knock him out of the window with a powerful kick

but the figure quickly dodged out of the way and was behind Ranma in seemingly no time at all.

The man claiming to be Vega then slashed at Ranmas back repeatedly with his adamantium claw.

Ranma slowly turned around and then attacked again, this time managing to get a few punches in

before the figure jumped over his head and kicked Ranma across the room.

Ranma balled his fists together and was about to pull out his claws when he'd remembered what

his mother had said to him on his first night back about claws in the house. I gotta get him

outside. Ranma thought desperately. Vega then pulled a pair of adamantium handcuffs from his

suit and rushed Ranma. Ranma managed to block a few of his attacks but Vega was quicker than

he remembered and he was still feeling a bit woozy from the tranquilizer so Vega managed to get

one of the cuffs on.

He would have gotten the second one as well but the door to the room suddenly opened and Ken

and Ryu rushed in. "What's going on!" Ken said before noticing the black clad figure in the

mask with claws.

Vega smiled beneath the mask and held up his claw. "Recognize me Mr. Masters?" He said with a

high pitched laugh.

Kens eyes widened in horrified shock. "VEGA? You're dead!"

Ryu pushed a shocked Ken out of the way and powered up a quick Hado Ken. "No time to stand

around slack jawed buddy. HADO KEN!" Vega wasn't expecting a chi attack so quick and in his

attempt to dodge managed to take a bit of the hit and was thrown out the window again.

Ranma rushed to the window, no longer stumbling and jumped out to follow. Ken and Ryu

decided to go down the stairs to follow.

Vega stumbled as he stood back up and frowned his suit had been damaged on the back and some

of his lower mask had ben destroyed He wouldn't be able to use the cloak anymore. He quickly

got into a fighting stance as Ranma jumped down to meet him immediately after.

Since he was outside he decided it was quite all right to unsheathe his claws this time. With a rage

fueled by the tranquilizing of his fiancé he rushed towards Vega and began to swing repeatedly in

a complicated pattern of martial arts maneuvers. Vega however was much quicker than when he

had fought Ranma before in the ring and managed to dodge all the deadly blows.

Some of Ranmas swings however managed to cut some of the suit that he wore. Ryu and Ken

decided to just watch as it seemed Ranma had this new Vega under control.

About the time that the Rest of the Saotomes and the Tendos came to the porch to see what was

going on one of Ranma's swings managed to slice through the entire front of Vegas suit... which

then came apart along with the wrappings that were used to tape HER breasts down.

Ranma stopped suddenly as a pair of breast emerged from his opponent. "What the hell? You're a

girl."

Vega smiled and took off her mask revealing a very VERY beautiful feminine face with long

blonde lochs of hair. "Looks can be deceiving. I'll be back."

With that the female Vega turned and ran for the wall. She quickly jumped over it and was soon

out of site.

"There's no way that someone that hot was Vega." Ken said.

Ranma then came over to his sensei and his friend and looked confused. "She smelt the same as

Vega. The exact same."

"Ranma sweety are you okay?" Nodoka asked hugging her son in a worried embrace.

Ranma smiled. "I'm fine. Just... confused."

Ken walked over and picked up the mask that was dropped and noted that there was a few hairs

stuck to the inside. "I think I should call Chun Li about this." He said to Ranma and Ryu.

Ranma then turned towards the stairs. "I should go see Natalia." He said. "She got hit with some

kind of tranquilizer." He said before rushing up the stairs.

Ken and Ryu frowned somberly as they sat in the dojo looking at the box that they had just placed

the mask and hair samples in to be sent to Chun Li at Interpol for a DNA test.

"There's no doubt about it." Ryu said. "Bison and Shadow Law are back somewhere."

"No kidding." Ken seconded. "If Ranma and Natalia are correct in what they saw then Bison's

been pretty damn hard at work. I mean... a camouflage suit that turns virtually invisible? They've

been BUSY! Not to mention the cuffs that were used on Ranma were made of pure adamantium."

"What worries me." Ryu started. "Is this female Vega. You told me that Ranma has a very

powerful sense of smell... and he said that his woman smelt exactly the same as Vega... Who we

all remember to have been killed at one point or another."

"I thought I killed him." Ken said.

"So did Chun Li."

Ken looked worried as he finally understood what Ryu was trying to get at. "You don't think

Bison's found a way to bring people back from the dead do you?"

Ryu nodded. "Lets just hope Chun Li can prove us wrong."

TBC

Author's Notes: Well this is interesting isn't it? For one. I actually finished a new chapter of AR.

And Vega coming back again and again? That's just weird. But I guarantee I have an interesting

reason that he is back. And a female Vega? What's that all about? Well I'm not going to tell you

that. It's a secret. BWA HA HA! But anyway. This concludes the return of Adamantium Rage.

Now that I've got ideas for it, as well as the sixth chapter FINALLY finished for the third time I

think it's safe to say you'll all be seeing more chapters.

Morden Night: 


End file.
